Screening for HIV infection by health professionals in India

BACKGROUND

Stigma and discrimination, particularly in access to healthcare, remains a major problem for people Infected with HIV in most parts of India.

METHODS

We did a multicentre study (n = 10) with a cross-sectional survey design using a standardized, interviewer-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 2200 healthcare providers participated. The knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) related to HIV service delivery were very poor with a mean overall KAP score of only 49.7% (CI: 49.1-50.3). Only 5%, 5% and 1% of the participants scored more than 75% separately for the dimensions of knowledge, attitude and practice, respectively. Only 24.4% and 36.7% of responders knew that HIV screening was not recommended prior to surgery and pre-employment check-up. Many doctors (19.4%) had refused treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) at least some of the time and nearly half (47.2%) identified and labelled them; 23.9% isolated them in separate care areas and 13.3% postponed or changed treatment based on the patient's HIV status. Screening for HIV prior to elective surgery was done by 67% of providers. While 64.7% of responders were aware of the existence of national guidelines on and recommendations for HIV testing, only 38.4% had read the policy document.

CONCLUSION

There is a growing need to provide care, support and treatment to a large number of PLHA. The capacity of healthcare providers must be urgently built up so as to improve their knowledge of and attitude to HIV to enable them to deliver evidence-based and compassionate care to PLHA in various healthcare settings.

Hemorheological changes in blood transfusion-treated beta thalassemia major patients

Beta thalassemia major is an inherited impairment of haemoglobin structure, in which there is partial or complete failure to synthesize a specific type of globin chain. The study was undertaken to assess the hemorheological changes in beta thalassemic major patients. We studied hemorheological parameters in thalassemic patients (n = 37) immediately after blood transfusion. The parameters studied were whole blood viscosity (WBV), plasma viscosity (PV), red cell rigidity (RCR) and hematocrit (Hct). Blood samples from age-and sex-matched normal controls were also analysed for comparison. Statistical analysis was done using Student's t-test and p values were recorded. The results showed a significant decrease in level of WBV and Hct in patients when compared to normal controls. However, the red cell rigidity was higher when compared to normal controls. Increase in RCR should show an increase in WBV. But in our study cases there was a significant decrease in WBV which was probably due to the significant decrease in level of hematocrit.