Undernutrition and associated factors among HIV-Infected adults receiving ART at Health centers, Lega Tafo and Surrounding, Ethiopia, 2021

Abstract Background: Globally 38 million people were living with HIV in 2019. In Africa, 25 million people are living with HIV/AIDS undernutrition and food insecurity is endemic. Hence the study aimed to assess the magnitude of undernutrition and associated factors among HIV-infected adults receiving ART. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients who following the ART service was selected by a simple random sampling method. The data were collected by direct interview, using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and a Logistic regression model were employed. Result: The study revealed that the magnitude of under-nutrition was 18.8%. The history of opportunistic infection (AOR=4.518:95% CI: 2.304-8.857), Patients taking ART for less than one year (AOR=3.675:95% CI: 1.831-7.377) household food insecure (AOR= 3.113:95% CI: 1.628-5.950) and dietary diversity score (AOR=2.340:95% CI: 1.221-4.485) were found to have a statistically significant association with undernutrition. Conclusion: The magnitude of undernutrition among people living with HIV/AIDS was found to be high. Having an opportunistic infection, duration of taking ART treatment, household food security status, and dietary diversity status were found to statistically significant association with undernutrition.