Nutrition And HIV/AIDS: A Qualitative Study on Perceived Factors Affecting Feeding Practices among Adult People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kigali, Rwanda - Juniper publishers
Nutrition and Food Science International Journal Abstract Background: A bidirectional relationship exists between nutrition and HIV/AIDS. Poor nutrition has been associated with unsuppressed viral loads among People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) while HIV infection leads to poor nutrition. HIV treatment, care and support efforts should thus incorporate nutrition management. Despite the fact that various scholars have researched the dietary status of PLWH, there is paucity of explorative research exploring factors that drive feeding practice among adult PLWH. This study therefore aimed to explore the perceptions of PLWH on factors that affect their feeding practices and ultimately dietary diversity. Methods: Three health facilities were purposively selected as study sites. Interviews were conducted by a trained health professional in a private room at the study sites. Participants were purposively selected for enrolment. Only participants who had recorded a low body mass index (<18.5