Prevalence of malnutrition and its associated factors among adult people living with HIV/AIDS receiving anti-retroviral therapy at Butajira Hospital, southern Ethiopia

Background: Malnutrition and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) are highly prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, and they are linked in a vicious cycle. Intestinal parasite co-infection worsens the effect of malnutrition among HIV patients. However, the magnitude of malnutrition and its determinant factors among people living with HIV/AIDS are not well understood in Butajira in particular and Ethiopia in general. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and its associated factors among adult people living with HIV/AIDS and receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted, and systematic random sampling technique was used to select study subjects. A total of 305 study subjects were enrolled in the study. Structured and pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect demographic data. From each sampled patient, anthropometric and laboratory data were also collected. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the effect of the various factors on the level of malnutrition. A P value ≤0.05 at 95% CI was considered statistically significant. Results: The overall prevalence of malnutrition was 25.2% of which 49, 19, and 9 patients were mildly, moderately, and severely malnourished, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that living in rural area, anemia, and intestinal parasitic co-infection were significantly associated with malnutrition (AOR = 1.98, 1.9, 2.85, respectively). Conclusions: The prevalence of malnutrition among HIV/AIDS patients receiving ART in Butajira was high and intestinal parasite co-infection was found as an important risk factor associated with malnutrition.