Experiences of female caregivers who attended a joint HIV prevention programme (Let's talk) with adolescent girls in Soweto
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Date
2019
Authors
Gunda, Sabastain
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Abstract
Introduction
Many adolescent girls in South Africa face multiple risk factors to contracting and transmitting
HIV. Some of the risk factors include poverty, gender inequity and poor caregiver-adolescent
relationships. The steady rise of family-based interventions to prevent HIV infections among
adolescent girls has necessitated the need for empirical evidence to gauge their acceptability
and feasibility. This study explored the experiences of female caregivers who attended a joint
HIV prevention Programme with adolescent girls in Soweto called Let’s Talk.
Methods
This qualitative cross sectional study used in-depth interviews to gather data from caregivers
involved in the Let’s Talk Programme in August 2018. The study was conducted after
completion of the programme. Simple random sampling was used to select four Community
Based Organisations (CBOs) out of the twelve that implemented the Let’s Talk Programme in
Soweto. Twelve caregivers were purposively sampled from the four CBOs on the basis of their
proficiency in English. Verbatim audio recording and written notes were used to capture raw
data during the interviews. Data analysis was accomplished through manual categorization and
coding the data into themes and sub themes.
Results
Caregivers experienced personal and social challenges that negatively affected their psycho
social adjustment, associated with traumatic life experiences like loss of loved ones and sexual
abuse. Partly due to lack of parenting skills, caregivers experienced strained relationships with
adolescents in their care. Through attending Let’s Talk sessions social support networks
available to the caregivers widened, ultimately leading to better caregiver-adolescent
relationships. The improved caregiver-adolescent relationships were characterised by better
communication, mutual respect and deeper exploration of SRH (including HIV & AIDS) topics.
Overall, caregivers shared the perception that Let’s Talk was beneficial.
Conclusion
Caregivers’ positive perceptions of the Let’s Talk Programme provide empirical evidence of
acceptability to participants, effective implementation, and efficacy in facilitating desired
outcomes (e.g., behaviour, attitudes and quality of caregiver-adolescent-relationships).
Description
In partial fulfillments of the requirements of the Master of public health degree - social and behaviour change communication at the Wits school of public health
June 2019