Primary caregivers, healthcare workers, teachers and community leaders’ perceptions and experiences of their involvement, practice and challenges of disclosure of HIV status to children living with HIV in Malawi: a qualitative study

Context: Disclosure of HIV positive infection status in children and Adolescents is multifaceted and should take into consideration their age, psychosocial maturity, cultural and clinical context. This study was conducted to examine disclosure experiences and challenges among children and ALWHA in Nigeria. Evidence Acquisition: We conducted narrative review of relevant literatures by searching PubMed, Google scholar and Medscape using predetermined keywords. Results: Findings are presented under themes of process of disclosure and age of disclosure, reasons and challenges of disclosure, reactions and responses to disclosure, consistent with various authors. This study shows that the mean age and reasons for HIV positive status disclosure are variable. Disclosure was mostly executed at home and mostly carried out by parents or caregivers of HIV-infected children. Reactions of children and ALWHA upon disclosure was mainly negative and ranged from feeling of anger to expression of shock to feeling of sadness and to crying. Barriers to HIV-positive status disclosure among caregivers were perceived sense immaturity and age of the child, fear of stigma, fear of child’s inability to cope, fear of blaming the parents and refusal to take antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. While caregivers highlighted several factors that affect disclosure of HIV status to children and adolescents, this study reveals both positive and negative impact on their emotions. Conclusions: It is of note that approach to disclosure is critical, therefore caregivers and healthcare workers should be properly trained and supported with resources required to effectively carry out disclosure. There is need for continuous research to understand and develop age and culture specific approaches to disclosure in children and adolescents in Nigeria.

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Illness Narratives of Children Living with HIV Who Do Not Know Their HIV Status in Ghana: I’m Sick, But I Don’t Know the Sickness—A Qualitative Study

AIDS and Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10461-020-02884-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (11) ◽

pp. 3225-3231

Author(s):

Heather Farthing ◽

◽

Nancy R. Reynolds ◽

Sampson Antwi ◽

Amina Alhassan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Illness Narratives ◽

Hiv Status ◽

Living With Hiv

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Refused and referred-persistent stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in Bihar: a qualitative study from India

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033790 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. e033790 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohit Nair ◽

Pragya Kumar ◽

Sanjay Pandey ◽

Amit Harshana ◽

Shahwar Kazmi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Hiv Transmission ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Status ◽

Community Members ◽

Universal Precautions ◽

Stigma And Discrimination ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Aids

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore barriers to accessing care, if any, among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in two districts of Bihar. We also aimed to assess attitudes towards PLHA among healthcare providers and community members.DesignThis qualitative study used an exploratory study design through thematic analysis of semistructured, in-depth interviews.SettingTwo districts were purposively selected for the study, namely the capital Patna and a peripheral district located approximately 100 km from Patna, in order to glean insights from a diverse sample of respondents.ParticipantsOur team purposively selected 71 participants, including 35 PLHA, 10 community members and 26 healthcare providers.ResultsThe overarching theme that evolved from these data through thematic coding identified that enacted stigma and discrimination interfere with each step in the HIV care continuum for PLHA in Bihar, India, especially outside urban areas. The five themes that contributed to these results include: perception of HIV as a dirty illness at the community level; non-consensual disclosure of HIV status; reliance on identifying PLHA to guide procedures and resistance to universal precautions; refusal to treat identified PLHA and referrals to other health centres for treatment; and inadequate knowledge and fear among health providers with respect to HIV transmission.ConclusionsThe continued presence of discriminatory and stigmatising attitudes towards PLHA negatively impacts both disclosure of HIV status as well as access to care and treatment. We recognise a pressing need to improve the knowledge of HIV transmission, and implement universal precautions across all health facilities in the state, not just to reduce stigma and discrimination but also to ensure proper infection control. In order to improve treatment adherence and encourage optimal utilisation of services, it is imperative that the health system invest more in stigma reduction in Bihar and move beyond more ineffective, punitive approaches.

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Disclosure of HIV status among Shan female migrant workers living with HIV in Northern Thailand: A qualitative study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0216382 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. e0216382

Author(s):

Arratee Ayuttacorn ◽

Arunrat Tangmunkongvorakul ◽

Patou Masika Musumari ◽

Kriengkrai Srithanaviboonchai ◽

Amporn Jirattikorn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Migrant Workers ◽

Hiv Status ◽

Northern Thailand ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Female Migrant

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The Lived Experiences of Stigmatization in the Process of HIV Status Disclosure among People Living with HIV in Taiwan

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105089 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5089

Author(s):

Chia-Hui Yu ◽

Chu-Yu Huang ◽

Nai-Ying Ko ◽

Heng-Hsin Tung ◽

Hui-Man Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lived Experiences ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Social Stigma ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Status ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Two Phases ◽

Hiv Status Disclosure ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Status Disclosure

People living with HIV (PLWH) face social stigma which makes disclosure of HIV status difficult. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of stigmatization in the process of disease disclosure among PLWH in Taiwan. Analysis of the semi-structured interviews from 19 PLWH in Taiwan revealed two phases and six themes. Phase one “experiences before disclosure” involved three themes: “Struggles under the pressure of concealing the HIV Status,” “Torn between fear of unemployment/isolation and desire to protect closed ones,” and “Being forced to disclose the HIV status.” Phase two “experiences after disclosure” included three themes: “Receiving special considerations and requirements from school or work,” “Receiving differential treatments in life and when seeking medical care,” and “Stress relief and restart.” Healthcare professionals need to assess stigmatization in PLWH and develop individualized approaches to assist with the disease disclosure process.

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The experiences of cooperation among healthcare workers who participated in COVID‐19 aid mission in China: A qualitative study

Journal of Clinical Nursing ◽

10.1111/jocn.15774 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anni Wang ◽

Lei Liu ◽

Jianguo Zhu ◽

Xue Chen ◽

Siyuan Tang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Healthcare Workers

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Disclosure and health-related outcomes among children living with HIV and their caregivers

AIDS Research and Therapy ◽

10.1186/s12981-021-00337-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Margaret Amankwah-Poku ◽

Delight Abla Klutsey ◽

Kwaku Oppong Asante

Keyword(s):

Medication Adherence ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Demographic Variables ◽

Hiv Status ◽

African Countries ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Adherence To Medication ◽

Living With Hiv

Abstract Background The prevalence of disclosure of status to children living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is low in most sub-Saharan African countries, leading to poor compliance and adverse psychological outcomes in these children. This study examined the influence of disclosure on health outcomes in children living with HIV and their caregivers. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, 155 HIV-positive children between age 6–15 years and their caregivers were administered standardized questionnaires measuring adherence to medication, children's psychological well-being, caregiver burden, and caregivers’ psychological health. Results Results indicated that only 33.5% of the children sampled knew their status. Disclosure of HIV status was significantly related to medication adherence, psychological wellbeing, the burden of caregiving, and the length of the disclosure. A child’s age and level of education were the only demographic variables that significantly predicted disclosure of HIV status. In a hierarchical analysis, after controlling for all demographic variables medication adherence, psychological well-being and burden of caregiving were found to be significant predictors of disclosure of status in children living with HIV. Conclusions Findings suggest the need for disclosure of status among children living with HIV for a positive impact on their medication adherence and psychological health. These findings underscore the need for the development of context-specific interventions that will guide and encourage disclosure of status by caregivers to children living with HIV.

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To Volunteer or Not? Perspectives towards Pre-Registered Nursing Students Volunteering Frontline during COVID-19 Pandemic to Ease Healthcare Workforce: A Qualitative Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126668 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6668

Author(s):

Betsy Seah ◽

Ben Ho ◽

Sok Ying Liaw ◽

Emily Neo Kim Ang ◽

Siew Tiang Lau

Keyword(s):

Nursing Students ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Professional Identity ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Strategic Partnerships ◽

Healthcare Workforce ◽

Student Volunteer ◽

Operational Processes

COVID-19 has caused a shortage of healthcare workers and has strained healthcare systems globally. Pre-registered healthcare students with training have a duty of care and can support the healthcare workforce. This study explored factors influencing the willingness of final-year nursing students to volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of professional identity in volunteering as healthcare workers, and strategies to improve future volunteering uptakes and processes. A qualitative study using focus-group discussions was conducted. Final-year nursing students who volunteered, students who did not volunteer, and lecturers who supervised student volunteers were recruited. Interviews were conducted online, video-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was used. The themes were “wavering thoughts on volunteering”, “bringing out ‘the nurse’ in students through volunteering” and “gearing up to volunteer”. Findings suggested the need to look beyond the simplicity of altruism to the role of professional identity, operational, and motivational factors to explain nursing students’ decision to volunteer and their volunteer behavior. Providing accommodation, monetary and academic-related incentives, supporting the transitionary phase from students to “professional volunteers”, promoting cohesive and positive staff–student volunteer relationships, and establishing a volunteer management team are strategies identified to improve volunteering uptake and operational processes. Our findings advocate strategic partnerships between hospitals/communities and academic institutions in providing various healthcare services during pandemics.

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