Food insecurity of HIV/AIDS patients at a unit of outpatient healthcare system in Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Ana Paula Sarmento Charão, Meyre Hellen Ribeiro e Silva Batista, Luzitano Brandão Ferreira
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2012
• Subjects: Síndrome de imunodeficiência adquirida; Fome; Nutrição em saúde pública; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822012000600018; https://doaj.org/article/8a6244df226a42f2b4550a98ff03b4e0

INTRODUCTION: Food security remains to be one of the world's biggest problems and is found to be related to HIV/AIDS. The objective was to examine food insecurity in HIV/AIDS patients from Brasilia, Brazil. METHODS: Short version of the Food Security Scale was applied to patients with HIV/AIDS. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients participated (65 HIV+ and 38 with AIDS). Food insecurity was found in 33.8% of HIV+ patients and 36.8% of patients with AIDS. A relation between food insecurity and low educational and social levels was established. CONCLUSIONS: Food security should be an important component in HIV/AIDS treatment programs.