Parents perceptions of HIV counselling and testing in schools: ethical, legal and social implications
Date
2014-02-19
Authors
Gwandure, Ruth
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Abstract
Given the high prevalence of HIV and AIDS in South Africa, particularly among the
12-25 year age group, the study set out to understand the perceptions of parents
regarding the proposed school-based HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign
planned by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of
Education. This campaign is aimed at encouraging teenagers to get tested and to
know their HIV status in the hope that such knowledge will reduce the number of
new infections. The target market of the HCT campaign includes high schools
because they have a significant number of adolescents and young adults who could
benefit from HCT campaign (SANAC, 2010:11). The research looked at the ethical,
legal and social implications of the HCT campaign in schools as perceived by
parents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 20 households.
Among the main findings was that parents were generally in favour of the HCT
campaign but believed that participation in the programme should be voluntary. They
anticipated that the HCT programme could potentially affect children’s emotional
well-being, particularly if ethico-legal issues of consent and confidentiality were
violated and social issues of stigma and discrimination were not handled sensitively.
They emphasised that the campaign needed to consider children’s vulnerability and
should seek to protect them in the process. Findings are discussed in terms of their
implications for promoting bioethical principles in implementing the HCT campaign.