Assessment towards use of holy water as complementary treatment among PLWHA, Northeast, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Holy water use in the form of a drink and a shower is the main treatment used by People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) together with other spiritual practices. A growing number of PLWHA in Ethiopia today are relocating to holy water sites. The study was intended to determine the level of use of holy water as anti-retro viral treatment (ART) among PLWHA. Cross sectional study designs with systematic random sampling through interview among 422 respondents were done in Debrebrihan hospital and health center. Single proportion formula with p- value 0f 50% used to determine the sample size. Frequency and percentage were computed by the SPSS statically software. A total of 422 respondents was included in the study with a median age of 35 years; most of them were females 262 (62.1%) and 168 (39.8%) were married. Among the respondents 282 (66.8%) had experience of using holy water. The result also shown that, 73 (25.9%) of respondents reported that it is not convenient to take medication while using holy water with spiritual fear of using anti retro viral (ARV) drugs and holy water together 51 (69.9%). The study concludes that, the use of holy water as treatment of human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and more than half of the study participants visit the holy water site because of them believed that it is a result of sanity and punishment from God. Hence, finding implication towards use of mixed treatment for to adherence via proper advocacy, training and opening culturally appropriate treatment site is as a key fact regarding drug adherence in the treatment of PLWHA.