Role Of Hiv/Aids Duration And Socio-Ecnomic Factors In Vitamin-D Depletion Among Infected Individuals
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Abstract
Objective: To assess socioeconomic status and the duration of HIV/AIDS influence the prevalence and severity of vitamin D deficiency among HIV-infected patients
Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Public Health at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, between March 14, 2023, and April 30, 2024. The goal was to determine how common vitamin D insufficiency was among people living with HIV. With a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error, 200 ELISA-confirmed HIV-positive patients were chosen by a non-probability sequential sampling technique. Patients who met our inclusion requirements gave their informed consent, and a questionnaire was completed after their vitamin-D levels were measured in a blood sample.
Results: A total of 200 HIV/AIDS patients were included in this research. There were 60 (30%) women and 140 (70%) men among them. The patients ranged in age from 20 to 60, with a mean age of 45.0±1.0. Of the participants, the majority (82 or 41%) were in the 18–30 age range. In contrast, 52 people (26%) and 56 people (28%) were older than 52 and between 31 and 50, respectively. There were 45 people with low socioeconomic status (22.5%), 114 people with intermediate socioeconomic status (57%), and 41 people with high socioeconomic status (20.5%).
Conclusion: Vitamin D insufficiency is quite common in HIV-positive individuals, it does not significantly correlate with socioeconomic level or length of illness. Given that conventional HIV measures like viral load and CD4 count are not accurate risk indicators, routine screening and prompt investigations for vitamin D levels are crucial. It is advised to take vitamin D supplements, educate patients about sun exposure and dietary sources, and implement national food fortification and public health education programs. Future research should determine suitable cutoff points for 25(OH)D levels and investigate how socioeconomic status and HIV duration affect deficiency rates.