Community beliefs, HIV stigma, and depression among adolescents living with HIV in rural Uganda.
Community beliefs, HIV stigma, and depression among adolescents living with HIV in rural Uganda.
Afr J AIDS Res. 2019 Jul 24;:1-12
Authors: Ashaba S, Cooper-Vince CE, Vořechovská D, Rukundo GZ, Maling S, Akena D, Tsai AC
Abstract
The availability of and increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV. As a result, perinatally infected youth are increasingly able to reach adolescence. There is limited information about the psychosocial challenges facing adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) in rural settings of sub-Saharan Africa. We sought to understand psychosocial challenges facing ALWH in rural Uganda and their effects on mental health and HIV treatment outcomes. We conducted 5 focus group discussions and 40 one-on-one in-depth interviews in Mbarara, Uganda with adolescents (aged 13-17 years) and adult women caregivers. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed directly into English, and coded using thematic analysis to identify themes related to psychosocial adversities and mental health. Adversities faced by adolescents included negative community perceptions (perceived aggression, presumed early mortality), HIV stigma (enacted and internalized), vulnerability factors (loss of parents, poverty), and health challenges (depression, ART non-adherence). In the conceptual model that emerged from the findings, negative community perceptions (about perceive...
Source: African Journal of AIDS Research - Category: African Health Tags: Afr J AIDS Res Source Type: research
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