Journal of Tropical Pediatrics Advance Access originally published online on March 13, 2006
Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 2006 52(4):293-295; doi:10.1093/tropej/fml004
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Brief Report |
Healthcare Providers' Perspectives on Discussing HIV Status with Infected Children
a Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health & Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa
b Bioethics Unit-Tygerberg Division, Centre for Applied Ethics & Department of Family Medicine & Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
c Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
d Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Children's Hospital, South Africa
Correspondence: Dr Landon Myer, Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health & Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa. E-mail <lmyer{at}cormack.uct.ac.za>.
The disclosure of HIV status to infected children has received relatively little attention to date in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted 40 semi-structured interviews with healthcare providers working in a large paediatric HIV clinic in Cape Town, South Africa regarding attitudes and experiences around discussing HIV with infected children. Most providers felt that the optimal age for general discussions about an HIV-infected child's health should happen around age 6, but that specific discussions regarding HIV infection should be delayed to a median of 10 years. Though most providers said that primary caregivers were the most appropriate individuals to lead disclosure discussions, there were strong views that caregivers require support from healthcare providers. These findings indicate the complexities involved in the disclosure of HIV status to infected children, and point to the need for interventions to support caregivers and providers in disclosure discussions.
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