Acceptance and disclosure of HIV status through an integrated community/home-based care program in South Africa.

AIM: To report the outcome of a comparative study among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) served by an integrated community/home-based care (ICHC) programme and those who are not in any home-based care programme in terms of acceptance and disclosure of the HIV status. BACKGROUND: One of the major challenges in HIV/AIDS care in developing countries is acceptance and disclosure of a positive HIV status by PLWHAs. Denial and non-disclosure of HIV status hinders prevention efforts as well as access to treatment, care and support for PLWHAs. METHODS: Quantitative data were collected in 2004 from a group of PLWHAs served by the ICHC programme and a group that was not receiving any community/home-based care. Data were compared between the two groups in terms of acceptance and disclosure of HIV status. FINDINGS: The ICHC was effective in improving acceptance and disclosure of the HIV-positive status by PLWHAs in the programme. PLWHAs in the ICHC programme did not find disclosure of their status difficult, and had disclosed their positive HIV status to more people than those who are not in any programme. PLWHAs in the ICHC programme not only disclosed their positive HIV status within their family network and households, but also disclosed to the community in general, sports group, religious groups and other social networks. CONCLUSIONS: Community/home-based care programmes can serve as catalysts for acceptance and disclosure of a positive HIV status by PLWHAs.

Exploring the fear of contracting HIV/AIDS among trauma nurses in the province of Kwazulu-Natal.

A qualitative study, using phenomenology as an approach was conducted. The title of the study was "Exploring the fear of contracting HIV/AIDS among trauma nurses in the province of Kwazulu-Natal". Participants were selected on the basis of category (registered nurses), workplace (level one trauma units), and work experience (six months experience in a trauma unit). Twelve nurses participated in the study, six from the state institutions and six from the private institutions. The objectives of the study were to explore the fear of contracting HIV/AIDS, its effect on their personal/working lives and how they coped with it. The findings of the study revealed that trauma nurses perceived themselves to be at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS from their working environment despite the available precautionary measures. Needlestick injuries appeared to be the main source of fear. They used different coping and defence mechanisms effectively to cope with this fear of contracting HIV and none were in any emotional crisis. Education at different levels and development of support networks has been recommended as the key strategies to decrease these fears. Other recommendations include improving the quality and availability of protective materials and equipment, making HIV/AIDS a notifiable disease as well as improving general and specific beliefs that increase coping.