CD4 count improvement as result of enhanced wellbeing of HIV/AIDS patients

Abstract

The CD4 T-cell count is an important laboratory indicator of the immune status in patients with HIV/AIDS. It is used in decision making to determine when antiretroviral therapy and a need of prophylaxis for opportunistic infections should be initiated. This study was carried out to assess the contribution of donor funded projects to the wellbeing of people living with HIV/AIDS as measured by improvement of CD4 count. A total of 120 respondents were randomly selected from Morogoro urban and Kilombero district, Tanzania. Based on panel data, individual observations were made four times across time and there was a total of 480 observations. The home-based care TUNAJALI project provided various interventions including medical care and psychological support with the purpose of improving the health status of people living with HIV/AIDS. The effect of home-based care TUNAJALI services was the only predictor of health status of people living with HIV/AIDS that was measured as an improvement of CD4 count over time. The average CD4 count before, one year, two years of home-based care, and during the study were: 193.86; 258.83 (25.1%); 375.72 (31.2%); 487.57 respectively. A positive relationship was observed between home-based care services and well-being. The findings from the present study show that the home-based care positively improved the well-being of HIV/AIDS patients in the studied population. Improved wellbeing also improved CD4 count in patients.