HIV and infant feeding: issues in developed and developing countries

Women in developed countries who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive generally feed their infants formula to avoid virus transmission via breastfeeding. However, for most of the world's women who are HIV positive, the choice of infant feeding method is not so clear. Poor socioeconomic and living conditions place infants on breast milk substitutes at higher risk of non-HIV infectious diseases as compared with breastfed infants. Mothers in these settings who are HIV positive must weigh the risks and benefits of breastfeeding to choose the best infant feeding option.     

Effect of a mother-to-child HIV prevention programme on infant feeding and caring practices in South Africa.

OBJECTIVES: To conduct a rapid assessment of the impact of the Khayelitsha Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) programme on infant care practices among programme participants and the local population. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey and qualitative in-depth interviews. SETTING. Khayelitsha, a large formal and informal settlement of about 300,000 people on the outskirts of Cape Town. At the time of the study the HIV seroprevalence rate among antenatal women was about 15% and the MTCT programme had enrolled nearly 800 infected women. SUBJECTS: Seventy randomly selected caregivers with young children in the survey; in-depth structured interviews with 11 nutrition counsellors and 11 mothers enrolled in the programme. RESULTS: Caregivers have good knowledge of the spread and prevention of HIV. A majority knew that breast-feeding can transmit HIV but 90% stated that this did not affect their feeding decisions. Over 80% had stopped exclusively breast-feeding by the time their infants were 3 months of age. All of the respondents felt that being diagnosed HIV-positive would result in serious social and domestic consequences. None of the health workers could correctly estimate the risk of spreading HIV through breast-feeding and many reported feeling confused about what they should counsel mothers. All the mothers on the programme reported exclusive formula-feeding. Some had serious problems with preparation and feeding of formula milk. Nearly all reported running out of feeds before being able to fetch new supplies. None reported any negative social effects of not breast-feeding. Most of the mothers endorsed the programme and felt that it had given them strength to face up to and plan for the consequences of their diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This rapid appraisal of the infant feeding and care component of the MTCT programme has raised a number of important challenges which health managers and policymakers need to address. Similar assessments in the new pilot sites will be important.     

Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of community health workers about hypertension in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa

This article explores the perceptions and attitudes of community health workers (CHWs) about hypertension. The level of knowledge of hypertension, as well as their personal attitude towards this is crucial in the style and quality of their interventions. CHWs, whose role in health promotion is being increasingly recognised, can help contain or reduce the prevalence of hypertension by influencing the community to adopt healthy lifestyles. Forty-three CHWs employed by Zanempilo in two study areas, Sites B and C in Khayelitsha in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, were included in the study. Firstly, focus group discussions were conduced with 17 purposively selected CHWs to explore attitudes, beliefs and perceptions of hypertension. Secondly, interviews were conducted to assess their basic knowledge about causes, prevention and control of hypertension. The focus group discussions revealed that CHWs were uncertain about the causes of hypertension. They also found it difficult to grasp the fact that people without risk factors, such as overweight or a family history of hypertension, could be hypertensive. Many CHWs believe in traditional medicines and home-brewed beer as the best treatment for hypertension. They believe that people who take medical treatment become sicker and that their health deteriorates rapidly. Risk factors of hypertension mentioned during the structured interviews include inheritance, lack of physical activity, consuming lots of salty and fatty food. Conclusions drawn from the findings of the CHWs' responses highlighted their insufficient knowledge about hypertension as a chronic disease of lifestyle. Meanwhile they are expected to play a role in stimulating community residents' interest in the broad principle of preventive health maintenance and follow-up. Data obtained from this research can be used for the planning of health-promotion programmes. These should include preventing hypertension and improving primary management of individual sufferers. Because of their working relations and close link with CHWs, community nurses in primary health-care facilities need to recognise these beliefs and attitudes since these may differ from their own.