Assessing HIV transmission knowledge in psychiatric patients in Johannesburg, South Africa

South African Journal of Psychiatry

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Assessing HIV transmission knowledge in psychiatric patients in Johannesburg, South Africa
 
Creator Matodzi, Hangwani J. Lowton, Karishma Miseer, Prinesh
 
Subject Psychiatry HIV knowledge; KQ-18; psychiatric patients; South Africa; HIV transmission; HIV prevention; mental illness.
Description Background: The bidirectional relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and psychiatric illnesses is well documented. Misinformation about HIV transmission and prevention is associated with high rates of HIV-related risky behaviours, and therefore, HIV infection risk.Aim: To assess basic HIV transmission knowledge in psychiatric patients.Setting: Outpatient psychiatric clinic at Tara Psychiatric Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.Methods: A cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted employing a self-administered HIV knowledge questionnaire, the 18- item HIV knowledge questionnaire (HIV-KQ18). Consent, demographic, and clinical profile information were obtained from participants meeting the selection criteria.Results: This study indicated a mean knowledge score of 12.6 (69.7%) out of 18, and therefore good knowledge. The highest HIV-KQ18 mean scores were found in patients with personality disorders (78.9%), anxiety disorders (75.6%) and bipolar and related disorders (71.1%). Participants with schizophrenia, depressive disorders and substance use disorders had scores ranging between 66.1% and 69.4%. Statistically significant differences in knowledge were evident based on age, marital status, level of education and employment status. Interestingly, participants who used substances had higher average basic HIV transmission knowledge scores compared to those who did not use substances.Conclusion: Good overall HIV transmission knowledge was found in this population, albeit lower than in the general population. Statistically, correlates were found between psychiatric diagnosis, substance use, age, marital status, level of education, and employment status and basic level of HIV knowledge.Contribution: HIV knowledge remains lower in psychiatric patients than in the general population, with correlates between demographic and clinical factors, calling for psychoeducation efforts to take all these into consideration.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2023-06-30
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — cross-sectional study
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v29i0.2040
 
Source South African Journal of Psychiatry; Vol 29 (2023); 7 pages 2078-6786 1608-9685
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2040/2968 https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2040/2969 https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2040/2970 https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2040/2971
 
Coverage Africa 2020-2023 stable psychiatric, adult outpatients
Rights Copyright (c) 2023 Hangwani J. Matodzi, Karishma Lowton, Prinesh Miseer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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