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Submission Number: 116
Submission ID: 917
Submission UUID: 101948e0-4b2e-45a1-b33d-6a18449fdf63
Submission URI: /2025/abstracts

Created: Wed, 04/30/2025 - 11:57
Completed: Wed, 04/30/2025 - 12:00
Changed: Sat, 05/24/2025 - 16:59

Remote IP address: 41.115.43.47
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Current page: Complete
Webform: Abstract
Title Mr.
Lastname Myeni
Firstname Themba cyprian
eMail thembamrhope@gmail.com
Mobile 0727149066
Institution Kwazulu-natal department of health
Biosketch 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.
Is there a Second Presenter? No
Title of Presentatation Barriers affecting caregivers from disclosing HIV status to children living with HIV in uMzinyathi District, KwaZulu-Natal: Insights from semi structured interviews
Theme Selection THEME 2: Social Work and the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Subtheme TWO Selection 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.
Select your Presentation Type Oral Presentation
Abstract 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 psychosocial challenges which threaten the child’s health and quality of life. Caregivers’ experiences of disclosure to their children are not fully understood. Hence, this study explored the barriers affecting caregivers from disclosing their children’s HIV status to them.
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, KwaZulu-Natal. All 20 caregivers were purposively sampled. Thematic analysis was used to identify and analyse themes.
RESULTS: Participants acknowledged the importance and benefits of disclosing to their CLHIV. Howbeit, they volunteered their barriers as, 1) a lack of disclosure skills and support, 2) fear of the outcomes of disclosure, 3) fear that their children will not keep the HIV diagnosis secret to themselves, 4) guilt and shame associated with their children’s HIV status, 5) absence of fathers in the disclosure process, and 6) stigma and discrimination associated with HIV positive status.
CONCLUSION: Intervention strategies that aim to address these barriers to foster improved paediatric HIV disclosure need to be developed and implemented. Caregivers need to be trained on all aspects of HIV including paediatric HIV disclosure. Social workers can assist with breaking these barriers and equipping caregivers with knowledge and skills to overcome these barriers and engage in well-meaning disclosure practices. Social workers play a key role in facilitating caregiver and care recipient support groups or online support to enhance adherence to ART, combat further transmission of HIV, improve health literacy, promote open communication about HIV, and reduce caregivers' disclosure challenges. Social workers can effectively advocate for the rights of CLHIV and ensure that disclosure is done properly.
Title Dr
Firstname Nontombi
Lastname Velelo
Does the Abstract fit the selected Theme? Yes
What Area does this Abstract Focus on? Empirical Research
Status Accepted
Title Dr
Firstname Ilze
Lastname Slabbert
Does the Abstract fit the selected Theme? Yes
What Area does this Abstract Focus on? Empirical Research
Status Accepted