Displaying 61 - 70 of 502
Background
Understanding the circumstances of adolescents living with HIV is critical in designing adolescent-friendly services that will facilitate successful transition from pediatric to adult care. This study describes access, utilization and ongoing social support needs among adolescents living with HIV aged 15–17 in transition from pediatric to adult HIV care in Cambodia.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 328 adolescents, randomly selected from 11 antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics across the country. Descriptive analyses were conducted to summarize their…
Abstract
Child malnutrition is globally the highest risk factor for illness and death. It contributes to more than half of deaths in children worldwide. Children who lose their parents may face many hardships including food insecurity and poor child care resulting into malnutrition. However, in Kenya and the entire sub-Saharan Africa the problem of orphan-hood is expected to increase in the coming years due to more deaths from HIV/AIDS and other disasters. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status of orphaned and non-orphaned children. The study was a cross sectional…
Abstract
By 2015, an estimated 2.3–4.8 million children will be orphaned due to AIDS-related illness. Limited information is available on the emotional and behavioral problems that AIDS-orphaned children experience. This qualitative study explores 49 orphaned children who were observed in a non-governmental organization group setting in a small, rural village located in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Of the children in this study, 20 were orphaned due to AIDS. However, 19 children were orphaned due to parental death with an undeclared cause, but the deaths are believed to have resulted from…
Abstract
The Amajuba Child Health and Wellbeing Research Project measured the impact of orphaning due to HIV/AIDS on South African households between 2004 and 2007. Community engagement was a central component of the project and extended through 2010. We describe researcher engagement with the community to recruit participants, build local buy-in, stimulate interest in study findings, and promote integration of government social welfare services for families and children affected by HIV/AIDS. This narrative documents the experience of researchers, drawing also on project reports, public…
Abstract
There is a paucity of validated mental health measures for assessing psychological well-being among HIV-affected youth. We sought to explore the psychometric properties and validity of the Achenbach Youth Self-Report and Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) living in Lusaka, Zambia. These scales were administered to 210 OVC aged 13 to 17 years via audio computer-assisted self-interview. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess scale structure, Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency, and correlations between scales…
ABSTRACT
The mental health needs of children and adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) in Namibia are poorly understood, despite the dramatic improvement in their survival. ALHIV in resource poor contexts face particular risk factors, such as poverty, orphanhood, and poor social support. This study examines the mental health of ALHIV in Namibia, and the factors that contribute to mental health problems. A case–control design assessed emotional and behavioural symptoms of distress, risk and protective factors among adolescents aged 12–18 years. Case participants were 99 HIV-positive…
Abstract
Globally, orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) affected/infected by HIV/AIDS face many health risks, including malnutrition, early/unprotected sex, early forced marriage, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), substance abuse, child labor, and high rates of mental health problems. We conducted formative research on mental health issues and HIV/STI risk behavior in Kasarani, a large slum in Nairobi, to guide the development of future interventions. Collaborating with a local community hospital, we used focus groups in the community to gather information that was…
This report from UNICEF assesses the world’s performance towards meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to date, focusing on 44 indicators that directly concern 2030’s most important constituency: children. The indicators are clustered into five dimensions of children’s rights: survive and thrive, learning, protection, environment, and fair chance. The indicators include birth registration, violence against children,…
Abstract
Purpose: To assess the challenges affecting orphans and vulnerable children (OVCS) in Embu County.
Methods: This study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population was the orphans and vulnerable children support programs in Embu County. Stratified sampling was used to select 10% of orphans and vulnerable children in each location. Data was collected through household interviews, key informant interviews, observation, desk review, case studies and focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics was…
Abstract
Worldwide, the population of orphans and vulnerable children is estimated to be around 160 million with sub-Sahara Africa accounting for 80% of these children owing largely to the effect of HIV/AIDS, civil wars, road accidents, sectarian violence, terrorism, and other factors. Efforts have been made over the years by governments and development partners to mitigate the effects of orphanhood, but these efforts have failed to achieve the required objectives because various socio-demographic factors influence receipt of support services provided to OVC. This study therefore, examined…