Page 310 - HIVMED_v21_i1.indb

Page 4 of 8 Original Research

During the follow-up period, three new diagnoses of DM 14.8% reported consistently getting antihypertensive
were recorded in the case group, whereas four new diagnoses medication for free at their local health centre during the
of DM were recorded in the control group. Again, four new study period. None of the cases and controls reported
cases of HTN were diagnosed in the case group, and four receiving free diabetic medication from a health facility
new cases in the control arm. Other new diagnostic conditions during the study period.
recorded during the study were peptic (gastrointestinal tract)
ulcers (four among cases and two among controls), asthma Concerning the use of traditional medicines, more cases
(two among cases and none among controls), arthritis (three (83.4%) reported using traditional medicines for the treatment
among cases and one among controls) and cataract (one and management of ill health compared to the control group
among cases and none among controls). (5.3%). Similarly, the majority (> 73.0%) reported using
traditional medication for the management of DM and/or
The average monthly number of productive days lost because HTN in the case group, than in the control group who
of sickness was compared between cases and controls. On developed HTN or DM (see Table 5).
average, cases spent 11 more days unable to do usual daily
activities because of self-reported illness when compared
with controls (Figure 1). Usual diet using the 24-hour food recall method
Participants were asked to name the type of food they had
Out-of-pocket expenses consumed in the previous 24 hours prior to the questionnaire
Average monthly amount of money spent on transport by
participants for travelling to access healthcare or medication Cases (n = 73) Controls (n = 76)
was compared between cases and controls. In general, 52%
more cases spent money on transport compared with controls 100
(Figure 2). 80

The participants’ ability to purchase DM and antihypertensive Percentage (%) 60
medications was assessed. More than 68% reported an 40
inability to purchase prescribed medication for their 20
conditions during the study period (Table 3).
0
No money spent $1 – $5 $6 – $10 $11 – $15
The average monthly amount of money spent on Amount of money spent
prescription medication for HTN and DM was assessed
for the study period in both the cases and the controls FIGURE 2: Average monthly transport expenses.
(Table 4). A significant number of cases did not have
money to purchase their prescribed medication. Only TABLE 3: Summary of participants’ ability to purchase medications.
Medication purchased Cases Controls
Frequency (n) % Frequency (n) %
TABLE 2: Disease-related information among cases and controls. Hypertension
Condition Cases at baseline Cases at end of study Controls at end of study Yes 28 31.8 2 50.0
(n = 100) (n = 97) (n = 100)
Frequency % Frequency % Frequency % No 60 68.2 2 50.0
Total 88 100.0 4 100.0
Hypertension 84 84.0 88 90.7 4 4.0
Diabetes 38 38.0 39 40.2 4 4.0 Diabetes mellitus
mellitus Yes 7 17.9 1 25.0
Diabetes and 22 22.0 29 29.9 0 0 No 32 82.1 3 75.0
hypertension
Total 39 100.0 4 100.0
Note: Numbers in the columns do not total 100% in view of the presence of overlapping
disease in the participants.
TABLE 4: Average monthly amount of money spent on medication ($).
Variable Cases Controls
Frequency (n) % Frequency (n) %
Cases Controls
Diabetes mellitus
80 None 31 79.5 3 0 75.0
70
Percentage (%) 50 $11–$15 39 10.3 0 1 4 25.0
0.0
3
≤ $10
7.7
60
0.0
4
40
1
2.5
> $15
30
100
100
Total
20
10
0 Hypertension 53 60.2 1 25.0
None
None 1 – 5 6 – 10 11 – 15 16 – 20 21 – 25 26 – 30
≤ $10 29 33.0 1 25.0
Number of produc ve days lost due to illness $11–$15 3 3.4 2 50.0
> $15 3 3.4 0 0.0
FIGURE 1: Average number of days spent without doing usual daily tasks
because of sickness. Total 88 100 4 100
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