Determinants of a Disjointed Health Seeking Behaviour amongst HIV Positive People: A Case Study of Chirundu Border Town in Zimbabwe

This research aimed at assessing the determinants associated with disjointed health seeking behaviour on HIV case management in Chirundu border town. The specific objectives were to evaluate the socio-economic factors and characteristics of the community contributing to disjointed health seeking behaviour, to assess the rate of treatment compliance among patients from different health facilities, to establish differences on how HIV case management between Chirundu Zimbabwe and Zambian side is conducted and to investigate how health systems can be integrated to manage disjointed health seeking behaviour of HIV patients in Chirundu border town. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data from 188 respondents. Data collected was analysed on SPSS. Quantitative results were presented in bar graphs, pie charts, frequency tables. The results show that 79.6% had negative health seeking behaviour while 87.8% preferred receiving health care support from the Zambian government hospital. The rate of treatment compliance among patients from different health facilities in Chirundu border town was 84%. The score for HIV case management was 26% which indicated that there is inadequate HIV case management conduction between Chirundu Zimbabwe and Zambia. In conclusion, health facilities in Chirundu Zimbabwe and the Zambia should be linked to reduce disjointed health seeking behaviour of HIV patients. There is also need to train and educate community members on ART adherence and the side effects of changing the regimen. There is a need to capacitate health institutions concerning the management of HIV cases between Chirundu Zimbabwe and Chirundu Zambia. There is a need to develop a robust joint action plan on both sides of the borders. There is need for both sides of the border to exchange materials on HIV health education, provide uniform ART regimen and a system of referral for follow-up of patient already put on treatment who may move from one side of the border to the other.