1. Predictors of family functionality amongst human immunodeficiency virus-serodiscordant couples in two major hospitals in Kumasi, Ghana
- Author
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Anthony Enimil, Akye Essuman, Aliyu Mohammed, Nana Kwame Ayisi-Boateng, Kathryn Spangenberg, David Agyemang-Yeboah, Douglas Opoku Aninng, and Henry Lawson
- Subjects
Male ,Health Status ,Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ,lcsh:Medicine ,HIV Infections ,medicine.disease_cause ,Ghana ,serodiscordance ,0302 clinical medicine ,Ambulatory Care ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Family APGAR ,Original Research ,Family Characteristics ,lcsh:Public aspects of medicine ,030503 health policy & services ,Gender Identity ,Systematic sampling ,General Medicine ,Middle Aged ,Hospitals ,family functionality ,Sexual Partners ,Serodiscordant ,Female ,Family Relations ,0305 other medical science ,Family Practice ,Adult ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,Sexual Behavior ,Dysfunctional family ,Disclosure ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,Sex Factors ,medicine ,Humans ,Interpersonal Relations ,business.industry ,lcsh:R ,APGAR ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,HIV ,lcsh:RA1-1270 ,Odds ratio ,Confidence interval ,predictors ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Family medicine ,business ,Healthcare providers - Abstract
Background: Family instability and partner conflicts are reportedly common in serodiscordant relationships. To date, the family adaptability, partnership, growth, affection and resolve (Family APGAR), a standardised tool for assessing family function, has not been used in any published literature involving this peculiar group. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of family functionality and its association with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serodiscordance. Setting: The study was undertaken at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. Method: This was a cross-sectional study. A systematic sampling method was used to select HIV-positive clients whose partners were seropositive (concordant) or seronegative (discordant). A standardised format was used to extract relevant data. All data were analysed using STATA ® (version 14). Results were reported as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for study and outcome variables. Results: The study recruited 374 respondents, of which 52% (195) were in HIV-discordant relationships. Approximately 68% (254) of the respondents rated their families as functional, 15% (57) rated as moderately dysfunctional and 17% (63) rated as severely dysfunctional. A statistically significant relationship was found between family functionality and gender, as well as between family functionality and HIV status disclosure to the partner. No association was found between the Family APGAR and HIV serodiscordance. Conclusion: Amongst HIV couples, the strongest predictors of family functionality are gender and status disclosure. Healthcare providers should invest efforts into addressing gender-based challenges, utilise the Family APGAR and support disclosure of HIV status, especially amongst discordant couples.
- Published
- 2020