Original Research Article
Year: 2014 | Month: February | Volume: 4 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 129-139
Perceptions, Reasons and Experiences of Disclosing HIV Diagnosis to Infected Children in Kweneng District, Botswana
Paul Motshome, Sphiwe Madiba
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, South Africa. Box 215, Medunsa 0204, Pretoria, South Africa.Corresponding Author: Sphiwe Madiba
ABSTRACT
There are limited data on what influence caregivers’ HIV disclosure to children in limited resource countries given the low disclosure rates documented in literature. The study explored caregivers’ perceptions and experiences of HIV disclosure to infected children. In-depth interviews were conducted with caregivers of HIV infected children between 6-16 years attending a paediatric HIV clinic in a rural district, in Botswana.
Caregivers believed that disclosure is morally right for the child. Disclosure resulted in mental relief for caregivers who were relieved of the burden of keeping a secret. Children displayed good adherence practices to ART medication. Non-disclosed caregivers described non-disclosure as emotionally draining, they lived with regret and fear that they are not be doing the right thing; and acknowledged that raising a non-disclosed child was a challenging experience. Biological caregivers experienced constant sense of guilt for having transmitted HIV to their child. Disclosure was often delayed to protect the child and family from stigma and discrimination. The benefits of disclosure should form the focus of disclosure interventions and discussions with caregivers of HIV infected children.
Key words: Benefits of disclosure, experiences, HIV infected children, caregivers, disclosure, Botswana