Nutrition Education for HIV‐infected Women in Ghana

Malnutrition exacerbates symptom severity and worsens prognosis among HIV patients. We examined 1) nutrition education offered by health services and HIV‐service organizations for HIV‐infected women and 2) its relationship with knowledge and reported practices. Six focus group discussions included HIV‐infected women (n=38) recruited from 2 HIV‐service organizations and 4 outpatient clinics. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with health workers (n=12), non‐governmental and governmental personnel (n=5) and one community leader. HIV‐infected women cited health professionals as their primary source of nutrition education. Additional sources included the church, prayer camps and mass media. Nutrition messages were provided via group health education talks and private counseling sessions; none were based on patient assessment. Only one of the 6 sites visited had nutrition counseling materials. Health workers had good knowledge about healthy eating and management of HIV symptoms; however, barriers to nutrition education included lack of audience‐appropriate materials and in‐service training, limited space for counseling, and heavy workloads. Women reported barriers to following recommendations, including poverty, inconsistent messages, and low support from health services. Practical nutrition advice should be integrated and reinforced throughout the health system. Grant Funding Source : No grant funding received