The Sero-prevalence of HIV/AIDS among Patients Screened from 2008 - 2013 Attending Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Barnawa Kaduna State North West Nigeria

Abstract

Out of a total of 472 patients tested, from 2008-2013 at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Barnawa Kaduna State Nigeria, 67 (14.2%) were found to be sero-positive to HIV I/II antibody testing. The test involves 232 males and 240 females, 17 (7.3%) of the males were tested positive, while 50 (20.8%) of the females were found to be sero-positive. The age group (21-30) years has the highest number of patients screened while the age group (51 and above) years has the least number of participants. The age group of 11-20 years has the highest frequency of HIV positive patients with 18 (26.5%) testing positive within their age group while the age group 41-50 years has the least frequency, only 2 (4.1%) of this group testing positive. The sero-prevalence of HIV positive in this study among Psychiatry patients is 14.2%, which is significant. Background: Several psychiatric conditions may predispose individuals to acquiring HIV infection as a consequence of their influence on behaviour. There is also strong evidence of the relationship of substance use disorders and severe mental illnesses with HIV infection. HIV related psychiatric disorders also offer a challenge to clinicians in issues of differential diagnosis and management. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving patients that where screened for the presence of HIV from the blood collected between 2008 to 2013 attending Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Kaduna State, Northwestern Nigeria. The screening test was done qualitatively with Determine, Unigold and stat- pak, commercially sold kits ( Enzyme linked immunosorbent Assay method) as designed by the National algorithm of HIV screening in Nigeria. Results: Out of a total of 472 patients tested, from 2008-2013 at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Barnawa Kaduna State Nigeria, 67 (14.2%) were found to be sero-positive to HIV I/II antibody testing. The test involves 232 males and 240 females, 17 (7.3%) of the males were positive, while 50 (20.8%) of the females were positive. The age group (21-30) years has the highest number of patients screened while the age group (51 and above) years has the least number of participants. The age group of 11-20 years has the highest frequency of HIV positive patients with 18 (26.5%), while the age group 41-50years has 2 (4.1%) testing positive. The sero-prevalence of HIV positive in this study among Psychiatry patients is 14.2%.