Abstracto

Impact of psychosocial support on wellbeing of HIV infected older adults in Ibadan.

Oluwagbemiga Oyinlola, Taiwo Olusegun Adebowale, Oluwayinka Tiwalade Alamu, Lucia Giel Madu

Older adults in sub-Sahara African societies are vulnerable group of people due to life experience of hardship, malnutrition, poverty and high susceptibility to chronic diseases like HIV epidemic. Hence, there are very few strategies that currently address the hidden psychosocial problem of HIV among the older adult’s ages 50years and above. The study investigates the perceived impact of psychosocial supports on the general well-being of older adults in Ibadan. The study was conducted among older adults attending the General Out-Patient clinic (GOP) and Geriatric Centre of University College Hospital, Ibadan. The study purposively selected 120 older adults ages 50years and above at the GOP clinic and Geriatric Centre. Ethical consent was received from UCH research ethical committee. The study used a self-constructed instrument tagged Psychosocial Support of HIV/AIDS Older Adults Questionnaire (PSHOAQ). The reliability of the instrument yielded r=0.84 Crobanch Alpha. Four (4) research hypotheses were tested with ANOVA. The study established that there was a significant impact of counselling services on the general well-being of HIV Infected older adults in Ibadan (f-cal=128.058, P<0.05); there was a significant impact of financial support from the clinic on the general well-being of HIV Infected older adults in Ibadan(f-cal=64.821, P<0.05). Furthermore, the study established that, there was a significant impact of companionship from peers of the clinic on the general well-being of HIV Infected older adults in Ibadan (f-cal=32.506, P<0.05). Also, there was a significant impact of information access on the psychosocial well-being of the elderly (f-cal=120.655, P<0.05). The study recommends that, HIV responses in African region needs to account for the older adults by reflecting on the risk, trends and providing comprehensive prevention, testing and treatment services. There is need for age-appropriate health services integrated with screening and treatment of non-communicable diseases among the older adults in Africa.