Management of children in families affected by HIV/AIDS: community issues.

Management of children in families affected by HIV/AIDS: community issues.

Mbaye I, Mbaye N; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 710 (abstract no. 34119).

University Cheikh Anta Diop, Thiaroye, Senegal.

ISSUES: Management of children affected by HIV/AIDS is becoming one of the most crucial social problems in Subsaharan Africa. Within the framework of a prospective study on "the psycho-social situation of children in families affected by HIV/AIDS in SENEGAL", we aimed to know how to improve the community involvement. PROJECT: Since January 1996 we are following-up 16 families where at least one parent is HIV positive and had received proper counselling. Every 3 months, the study team visits each family and collects informations by observation and parent interviews about the intra-family relations, the economical impact of HIV/AIDS on the household and the health situation of the children; special attention was given to the community implication in the coping mechanisms of the family management of the children. RESULTS: Ours findings confirms that the community involvement is the best culturally acceptable and affordable way four our societies to cope with the increasing number infected or affected children. But they revealed also the decline of the traditionnalnetworks of solidarity and the unawareness of the needs of the children affected by HIV/AIDS. LESSONS LEARNED: It raises the issues of the "shared confidentiality" the necessity of training the community to improve its perception of HIV/AIDS and to identify the specific needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS, and the external support for the caregivers.