Prevalence and Factors Associated With Non-communicable Diseases Among People Living With HIV at Kalisizo Hospital in Kyotera District, Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: In rural Uganda, there exists a paucity of data on the prevalence and factors associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among people living with HIV, despite heightened concerns about their increased susceptibility. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence and assess factors associated with selected NCDs, namely hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and depression, among people living with HIV (PLHIV) seeking HIV care at Kalisizo Hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Kalisizo Hospital, involving a randomly selected sample of 290 individuals living with HIV between August 8th to 24th, 2020. Data on socio-demographics, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics were collected using an adapted WHO steps questionnaire, a medical records review, and a patient Health Questionnaire-9. We further conducted anthropometric and laboratory measurements. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA Version 15.0, employing Modified Poisson regression. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of NCDs was 39.7% (95% CI=34.2%-45.4%). This prevalence was higher among participants with tertiary education (aPR=1.55, 95% CI=1.05,2.77, p=0.026), those who were obese (aPR=2.01, 95% CI=1.40,2.87, p<0.001), individuals in WHO clinical staging 3 and 4 of HIV (aPR=1.45, 95% CI=1.02,2.05, p=0.037), and those with unhealthy dietary habits (aPR=1.61, 95% CI=1.20,2.16, p=0.002). CONCLUSION: This study unveiled a significant prevalence of NCDs among PLHIV seeking HIV care at Kalisizo Hospital. This highlights the pressing necessity for swift and impactful measures to be taken by the Ugandan government, development partners, and other stakeholders. It is imperative to implement tailored interventions designed to address the high NCD prevalence observed in PLHIV who are obese, engage in unhealthy dietary habits, possess tertiary education, and fall into WHO clinical stage 3 or 4 of HIV.