Human Immunodeficiency Virus Status Disclosure and Associated Factors among Children in the Pediatric Anti-Retroviral Therapy Clinic at Gambella Public Hospitals, Gambella Region, Southwest Ethiopia

Background Globally, 1.7 million children are estimated to be living with HIV. As highly active antiretroviral therapy becomes progressively available in low resource settings, children are living longer and having longer survival times. Thus, one of the greatest psychosocial challenges that caregivers face is HIV- positive status disclosure to children which is becoming a common issue in clinical practice. Objectives To assess the magnitude and associated factors of disclosure among HIV- positive children in public hospitals in the ART clinic in Gambella town. Material and Methods A facility- based cross- sectional study was performed using quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The study was performed from March 10 to April 15, 2020 among 259 HIV- infected children aged 6-18 years and their caregivers in two public hospitals, in Gambella town. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to determine the factors associated with HIV status disclosure with a P-value <0.05 and a 95% confidence interval of the Adjusted odds ratio (AOR). Results Ninety-eight (37.8%) HIV-positive children were informed of their status. Biological fathers (AOR=5.37; 95%CI=2.18, 13.21); biological mothers (AOR=3.65; 95%CI=1.64, 8.15), and children aged ≥10 years (AOR=3.73; 95%CI=1.47, 9.49), duration of ART (11-16 years) (AOR=4.15; 95 %CI=1.55, 11.13) and adherence to ART treatment of child; good(AOR=3.33; 95%CI= 1.81, 6.13) were found to be significantly associated with HIV positive status disclosure to children. Conclusion The magnitude of disclosure of HIV- positive status to infected children was low. Caregiver’s relation with child, age of the child, duration of ART and adherence to ART treatment were associated with the disclosure of HIV-positive status in infected children. Therefore, age appropriate counseling and working on related factors are important for improving low disclosure.