Open AccessThe experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS and of their direct informal caregivers in a resource‐poor setting
Author(s) -
Majumdar Basanti,
Mazaleni Nomathemba
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of the international aids society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.724
H-Index - 62
ISSN - 1758-2652
DOI - 10.1186/1758-2652-13-20
Subject(s) - medicine , focus group , thematic analysis , poverty , qualitative research , developing country , resource (disambiguation) , health care , gerontology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , nursing , family medicine , economic growth , sociology , computer network , social science , anthropology , computer science , economics
Background HIV/AIDS is a critical concern in South Africa, where extreme poverty and gender issues are major determinants of health. A comprehensive home‐based care programme is needed to lessen the burden placed on the caregivers of those suffering from HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the challenges faced by people who are living with HIV/AIDS and by their caregivers in resource‐poor, remote South African villages. Methods In‐depth interviews were conducted with nine persons living with HIV/AIDS and their nine direct informal caregivers. Interviews explored the themes of physical, emotional and social wellbeing. Two focus groups, one involving community leaders and one with local health care providers, were conducted to build on themes emerging from the in‐depth interviews. A thematic analysis of the transcripts was performed. Results This study sheds light on the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS and the needs of their direct informal caregivers in a rural area of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. These needs include: physical/medical, social, material, financial, physiological/emotional, gender issues, and instrumental. Conclusions In developing home‐based care programmes, it is vital to consider the perceived needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS and their direct informal caregivers. The results from this study serve as a basis for the development of a home‐based care programme in one resource‐poor setting of South Africa and could provide a model for such programmes in similar areas.