Pushkar Kumar, Hiremath Ravishekar N, Gupta Rajul K, Ghodke Sandhya
Department of Community Medicine, AFMS, New Delhi, India, Consultant Anesthesiology, KR Puram, Survey No. 8/5.
Rainbow children hospital, Marathahalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
J Family Med Prim Care. 2022 May;11(5):1923-1928. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1770_21. Epub 2022 May 14.
Nutrition has an important bearing on the health of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive children. Ascertaining the nutritional demands correctly and provisioning the nutritional needs to HIV positive/ Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) children will go a long way in maximizing the therapeutic benefits reaped through ever improving pharmaceutical initiatives, and thus, contribute to prolonging the longevity of these children who have a whole life ahead of them.
To study the nutritional status, including dietary assessment and anemia status of HIV-positive children, and compare the outcomes among children under homecare (staying with families) and orphanages/institutional care.
A cross sectional study was carried out among children between 2 and 15 years who were attending Pediatric Outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary care hospital in western Maharashtra. Data were collected from 106 children by the interviewer himself using pretested validated questionnaire along with anthropometric measures and relevant blood tests. A 24-h recall method was used to collect the dietary intake. Institutional ethical clearance was taken, and data were collected through informed consent of the parent/guardian accompanying the children.
Out of the 106 subjects studied, 54 (50.9%) were living in orphanages and 52 (49.1) were living with the family. Out of the 52 subjects of children under caregivers, 48.1% of the caregivers were unskilled workers and more than half of the subjects had a monthly family income of less than Rs 3,000. About 46.1% of the subjects' caregivers were illiterate. In the orphanage, 28 (51.8%) were males and 26 (48.2%) were females; 52 (49.1%) children were living with family of whom 30 (57.7%) were males and 22 (42.3%) were females. The prevalence of anemia (86.5%) and undernutrition (61.1%) was more among those living with family compared to the orphans living in orphanages and the same was statistically significant ( < 0.05). Among the children living in orphanages, the mean intake for most of the nutrients was more across all age groups. Within homecare, the mean nutrient intake of the females for all nutrients was more than the males across all age groups except 3-9 years, where it was more in males. Overall, all the children received less of water-soluble vitamins compared to recommended daily allowances (RDA), and the children of age group 5-15 years received less vitamin A and iron also.
Adequate nutrition, which is best achieved through the consumption of a balanced healthy diet, is vital for health and survival for all HIV-infected children. Specific measures to be directed to children under homecare and measures directed to improve social factors need to be undertaken.
营养状况对感染人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）的儿童的健康有着重要影响。正确确定营养需求并为HIV阳性/获得性免疫缺陷综合征（AIDS）儿童提供营养支持，对于通过不断改进的药物治疗方案实现最大治疗效益大有帮助，从而有助于延长这些尚有漫长人生的儿童的寿命。
研究HIV阳性儿童的营养状况，包括饮食评估和贫血状况，并比较居家照料（与家人同住）儿童和孤儿院/机构照料儿童的结果。
在马哈拉施特拉邦西部一家三级护理医院的儿科门诊就诊的2至15岁儿童中进行了一项横断面研究。由访谈者本人使用经过预测试的有效问卷，同时结合人体测量指标和相关血液检查，从106名儿童中收集数据。采用24小时回顾法收集饮食摄入量。获得了机构伦理批准，并通过陪同儿童的父母/监护人的知情同意收集数据。
在研究的106名受试者中，54名（50.9%）生活在孤儿院，52名（49.1%）与家人同住。在52名由照料者照顾的儿童中，48.1%的照料者为非技术工人，超过一半的受试者家庭月收入低于3000卢比。约46.1%的受试者照料者为文盲。在孤儿院中，28名（51.8%）为男性，26名（48.2%）为女性；52名（49.1%）儿童与家人同住，其中30名（57.7%）为男性，22名（42.3%）为女性。与生活在孤儿院的孤儿相比，与家人同住的儿童中贫血患病率（86.5%）和营养不良患病率（61.1%）更高，且具有统计学意义（<0.05）。在生活在孤儿院的儿童中，所有年龄组大多数营养素的平均摄入量都更高。在居家照料儿童中，除3至9岁年龄组男性的营养素平均摄入量更高外，所有年龄组女性的所有营养素平均摄入量均高于男性。总体而言，与推荐每日摄入量（RDA）相比，所有儿童的水溶性维生素摄入量均较低，5至15岁年龄组的儿童维生素A和铁的摄入量也较低。
通过均衡健康饮食实现的充足营养对所有感染HIV的儿童的健康和生存至关重要。需要针对居家照料儿童采取具体措施，并采取措施改善社会因素。
