Gender Prospective: Routes of Transmission and Care Seeking of HIV among HIV Infected Individuals Attending for CD4 T Cell Count in Kathmandu, Nepal

Gender may play important role on routes of transmission and care seeking of HIV among HIV infected individuals. The objective of the study was to assess gender difference on routes of transmission and care seeking of HIV among HIV infected individuals attending National Public Health Laboratory in Kathmandu, Nepal for CD4 T cell count. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1945 HIV infected people attending for CD4 Tcell count from March, 2005 to December 2008. Of total, 65.6% were males and dominant age group was 20-39 years (78.0%). Median age of the study population was 30, of males 31 and of females 29 years. The dominant routes of transmission were injecting drug-use (41.0%) and commercial sex (36.9%). Males were more likely to report IDU (60.4% versus 4.2%) while females were more likely to report CSW (46% versus 32%) as their routes of transmission. Regarding sex with partner, 42.7% of females and 2.1% of males had reported the acquisition of the infection through their spouses or regular sex partners. Forty percent participants had attended for CD4 T cell count within 12 months since the diagnosis of HIV. Females had attended earlier than males (44% versus 37%) for CD4 T cell count within one year of diagnosis. More males had CD4 T cell counts <200/µl (42.3 % versus 34.7%). The difference on age; routes of transmission , arrival time for CD4 T cell count since the diagnosis of HIV and CD4 T cell count were significant with the sex of participants. Major route of transmission was injecting drug use among males and commercial sex among females. Females were younger, attended earlier for CD4 T cell count and had better immunological status. Gender should be considered in control measures of HIV in Nepal. Key words: Gender prospective, routes of transmission of HIV, care seeking, CD4 T cell count