Abstract:
Background: Over 25 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV, representing
nearly 70% of the world’s total population of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA). In
2012, 7.5 million Africans were on HAART. However, adults are living longer on HAART; there
is increasing concern about rising incidence of insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, type 2
diabetes, and dyslipidemia among PLWHA.
Objectives: To assess the magnitude of diabetes mellitus and associated factors in HIV/AIDS
positive individuals.
Methods: An institution based cross sectional study design was conducted from April to May,
2014 at JUSH, comprehensive chronic care and training center in a total of 393 HIV infected
individuals. Convenient sampling technique was implemented and the samples were taken
consecutively. Socio-demographic and anthropometric data was collected by structured
questionnaire. Laboratory analysis of serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL
and HCV was done according to the manufacturer’s instruction. The data was analyzed by SPSS
version 20 and descriptive and inferential stastics was applied.
Results: A total of 393 HIV infected individuals of age ranging from 21 to 75 years with mean
age of 37.9 ±11.18 (mean ±SD) had participated in this study. The total prevalence of diabetes
mellitus (DM) in this study was 6.4 % (n=25). Two hundred ninety one (74%), and 77(19.6%) of
the study participants had normal glucose value (70-110 mg/dl) and impaired fasting glucose
value (111-125 mg/dl) respectively. After adjusting of the other variables, age (AOR=2.98,
95%CI: 1.04-8.51, P=0.042), duration of HAART (AOR=19.48, 95%CI: 2.59-146.44, P=0.004),
hypertension (AOR=5.49, 95%CI: 1.88-16.08, P=0.002) and dyslipidemia (AOR=6.07, 95%CI:
2.07-17.83, P=0.001) had strong significance association with diabetes.
Conclusion and recommendations: We conclude that, diabetes was highly prevalent among
adult HIV/AIDS patients, at comprehensive chronic care and training center of JUSH. We
recommend that all newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS patients should be routinely screened for
diabetes, both before and after initiating HIV treatment. All the adult HIV/AIDS patients should
have routine checkup for hypertension and lipid profile tests must be routinely done for
screening of dyslipidemia
