Home based care and management of people living with HIV/ AIDS in Rufiji district
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Date
2008
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
HIV/AIDS has brought in new challenges of care and support to those who fall sick and
the surviving family members. As the HIV/AIDS epidemic worsens, community home
based care services are critical in the continuum of care to mitigate the burden of the
disease on health facilities and families. The Government of Tanzania has developed
different programmes, strategies and models for HBC to PLWHA.
However, there is
inadequate knowledge about the effectiveness of HBC and management of PLWHA. The
current study examines the determinants of effectiveness of HBC and management of
PLWHA in Rufiji District. The study specifically determines the characteristics of
PLWHA under HBC system, best or bad practices for PLWHA, the types of home based
care offered and key stakeholders involved in the caring for PLWHA. Cross-sectional
survey using quantitative data collected from a sample of 104 PLWHA and 3 focus group
discussion and in-depth interviews were used for the study. The analysis has been done
using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings show that of all the
households of PLWHA that were interviewed, majority were male headed household
(MHHs), than female headed household (FHHs). The study has shown that the type of
HBC offered is the one which emphasizes on psychosocial support to PLWHA and their
families delivering their services primarily through volunteer networks in the community
together with program staff, who are not necessarily health professionals. PLWHA do not
have information on where to get legal aid an aspects such as inheritance, writing of wills
and human rights or PLWHA support groups. The study recommends the introduction and
or strengthening of programmes that promote legal aid awareness along side other services
provided to PLWHA. Finally HBC programmes cannot be successful unless they are
accorded active support and participation from government, NGO’s and communities.
Description
Thesis
Keywords
HIV/ AIDS, Care and management, Health facilities, HBC, PLWHA