HIV POSITIVE MOTHERS; ISSUES AND CONCERNS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

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HIV POSITIVE MOTHERS; ISSUES AND CONCERNS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Journal Title: Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences - Year 2014, Vol 3, Issue 16

Abstract

[b]OBJECTIVES:[/b] To get an insight into: 1. Perceived health needs and demands of positive mothers. 2. Constraints and barriers in accessing health services. 3. Impact of positive status on social and economic entitlements.4. Role of positive network in educating and empowering mothers. [b]METHODOLOGY[/b]: Type of study; Qualitative research using focus group discussions (FGD). Study Setting; “AnandaJoythi Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS®”- A positive network at Mysore. Period of study; September- October, 2008. Study participants: positive mothers from in and around Mysore city attending AnandaJoythi Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS. Inclusion Criteria; Mother of at least one child irrespective of: Her age. Duration of the positive status/ stage of disease. Age of the child-live/dead. On ART or not. And were willing to participate in the study. [b]EXCLUSION [/b] [b]CRITERIA:[/b] Those not willing to participate in the study.[b] RESULTS: Health Needs and Demands:[/b] The positive women felt the need for regular screening tests for side effects of ART free of cost, nutrition supplementation programmes, more health centres and health education. [b]Barriers to treatment:[/b] Poverty is the main barrier to accessing treatment. This is the amount of money required by clients for the government health services before being put on the ART programme and individuals have to pay for a CD4 count, a full hemogram and a liver function test. Poverty also means that people experience difficulty in paying for transport to get to services, especially when travelling from rural areas where distances to the nearest clinic or hospital are further and infrastructure poorer. [b]Social[/b] [b]and economic impact of positive status: [/b]It becomes difficult to look after their children when they are thrown out of their house. Even though they are mentally harassed by their family members they find it difficult to come out of their house because of their children are too young and need a family support. They face discrimination in getting admission to schools for their children because of their positive status (especially when thrown out of the school).They find it difficult to get their daughters married as the bride groom may reject her after coming to know that her parents are HIV positives, even though she is negative. [b]Positive network and mothers: [/b]The positive women find this network as a source of confidence, information and education regarding their rights, duties and the disease itself. By becoming members of this network they have rediscovered themselves and have developed a positive outlook towards life.

Authors and Affiliations

Manjunatha S. N, Revathi Devi , Arpitha , Chandrakumar S. G

Keywords

AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEY TO EVALUATE THE AWARENESS OF ANTERIOR TEETH RESTORATIONS IN SOUTH WEST COASTAL POPULATION OF INDIA

BACKGROUND A smile can describe a person’s personality. The ideal goal of modern dentistry is to restore the tooth to normal contour, aesthetics, function, comfort, speech and health. Long term loss of teeth especially i...

EP ID EP159006
DOI 10.14260/jemds/2014/2451
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