RESUMO
A needs assessment done among HIV-positive (HIV+ve) people in Botswana in 2000 indicated that these people required social support. Based on these results; a buddy system for and by HIV+ve women was instituted in Botswana during 2002. This study examined the impact of the buddy system on the self-care behaviours of 116 HIV+ve women volunteers who used the services of COCEPWA (Coping Centre for People with Aids) during 2002. The convenience sample comprised 39 buddies who completed the buddy training programme; 39 patients assigned to the 39 buddies and 38 controls who lived in areas where the buddy programme did not operate. The results indicate that HIV+ve patients who had buddies showed improved self-care behaviours from April 2002 until November 2002 compared to the controls. These self-care behaviours encompassed informing a number of other people about their HIV+ve status; compliance with tuberculosis treatment; CD4 quantification and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Although the differences were not always statistically significant; the patients showed greater improvements than the controls in all self-care behaviours. Thus the buddy system might have assisted and empowered the patients to achieve higher levels of self-care behaviours than the controls
