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Submission information
Submission Number: 115
Submission ID: 916
Submission UUID: 56f65348-6ae2-4f12-8b6d-87a788dbe858
Submission URI: /2025/abstracts
Created: Wed, 04/30/2025 - 11:44
Completed: Wed, 04/30/2025 - 11:56
Changed: Tue, 05/27/2025 - 10:37
Remote IP address: 41.115.43.47
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Current page: Complete
Webform: Abstract
Presenters
Mr.
Myeni
Themba cyprian
Kwazulu-natal department of health
Themba is a registered social worker with 10+ years of practice both in public health and non-governmental sector providing HIV disclosure and adherence counselling support to children and adolescents living with HIV and their families. He has an extensive experience of working in a medical setting providing social work services, psychotherapy, conducting workshops and doing presentations on child’s HIV disclosure. His passion to improve pediatric HIV disclosure has resulted to him pursuing master’s degree in social work, investigating factors that hinder caregivers from disclosing HIV diagnosis to their children.
No
Abstract
Recommendations for social workers’ interventions to improve paediatric HIV disclosure in uMzinyathi District, Kwa-Zulu Natal: Insights from In-depth Semi-Structured Interviews
THEME 2: Social Work and the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SUB 2.2 Research and practice strategies pertaining to health, mental health and wellbeing including poverty eradication, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth.
Oral Presentation
BACKGROUND: The disclosure of HIV status to children living with HIV (CLHIV) poses a challenge due to several factors. Non-disclosure results in clinical and psychological challenges which threaten the child’s health and quality of life. Involvement of social workers in paediatric HIV is extensive as they render multifaceted therapeutic and psychological support to children infected with HIV and their parents or caregivers.
METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted between December 2023 and January 2024 using semi-structured interviews to collect data from 20 caregivers of CLHIV who access ART at four public health clinics in uMzinyathi District, Kwa-Zulu Natal. All participants were purposively sampled. Thematic analysis was used to identify and analyse themes.
RESULTS: Participants recommended that 1) social workers should capacitate caregivers with knowledge and skills to initiate and carryout disclosure process to CLHIV, 2) warrant that essential services and resources are available and easily accessible for them, 3) provide counselling, treatment adherence support, disclosure counselling to CLHIV and their caregivers, 4) form and facilitate peer support groups for both CLHIV and caregivers so they can learn from the experiences of others who have already initiated disclosure process with their children, and 5) should frequently act as coordinators between medical and psychosocial care to ensure that CLHIV receive the care they deserve, adhere to treatment and that disclosure is done in the best interest of CLHIV.
CONCLUSION: Social workers, caregivers and healthcare workers play a pivotal role in ensuring that HIV disclosure process occurs timely to prevent negative consequences that may result from delayed and accidental disclosure and from not disclosing to a child. Preparation and education can play a huge role in empowering caregivers with appropriate knowledge and skills to lead a successful health-promoting disclosure. The support of social workers is essential in preparing caregivers for disclosure and during the disclosure process.
METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted between December 2023 and January 2024 using semi-structured interviews to collect data from 20 caregivers of CLHIV who access ART at four public health clinics in uMzinyathi District, Kwa-Zulu Natal. All participants were purposively sampled. Thematic analysis was used to identify and analyse themes.
RESULTS: Participants recommended that 1) social workers should capacitate caregivers with knowledge and skills to initiate and carryout disclosure process to CLHIV, 2) warrant that essential services and resources are available and easily accessible for them, 3) provide counselling, treatment adherence support, disclosure counselling to CLHIV and their caregivers, 4) form and facilitate peer support groups for both CLHIV and caregivers so they can learn from the experiences of others who have already initiated disclosure process with their children, and 5) should frequently act as coordinators between medical and psychosocial care to ensure that CLHIV receive the care they deserve, adhere to treatment and that disclosure is done in the best interest of CLHIV.
CONCLUSION: Social workers, caregivers and healthcare workers play a pivotal role in ensuring that HIV disclosure process occurs timely to prevent negative consequences that may result from delayed and accidental disclosure and from not disclosing to a child. Preparation and education can play a huge role in empowering caregivers with appropriate knowledge and skills to lead a successful health-promoting disclosure. The support of social workers is essential in preparing caregivers for disclosure and during the disclosure process.
Reviewer ONE Feedback
Prof
Alice
Ncube
Yes
Empirical Research
Accepted
Reviewer TWO Feedback
Dr
Nyasha Hillary
Chibaya
Yes
Empirical Research
Accepted