Department of Social Work

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Adolescents’ perceptions and experiences of Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at a tertiary hospital in Francistown, Botswana
(University of the Western Cape, 2016) Selape-Kebuang, Bongani Lebo; De Jongh, Jo-Celene
Botswana is experiencing high levels of HIV prevalence rate at 16.9% among the general population, 4.5% among adolescents aged 10-14 and 4.7% among adolescents aged 14-19. Adolescents are in a critically stage between childhood and adulthood and undergo a lot of developmental changes physically, sychologically and emotionally. The scourge of HIV/AIDS has also brought with it multiple challenges to adolescents as those who are HIV positive have to adhere to all the health requirements of being HIV positive and at the same time being pressurised by the societal expectations. Stigmatisation and discrimination are experienced as barriers against the fight towards HIV which is seen a major factor among adolescents. The aim of the study was to explore and describe adolescents’ perceptions and experiences of anti-retroviral therapy at a tertiary hospital in Francistown, Botswana. The study followed a qualitative research approach with an exploratory descriptive research design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Participants were school going adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years, who are on antiretroviral therapy and going for reviews at a tertiary hospital in Francistown, Botswana. Data were gathered though face to face semi structured interviews with each of the 24 participants. Data were analysed thematically. The following four themes emerged during the analysis: i. “ARVs control but don’t cure”; ii. “Why did it happen to me?-the reality of using ARVs”; iii. “I don’t want to take them for the rest of my life”; and iv. “No man is an island”, which addressed the research objectives. The findings led to the conclusion that, despite the fact that HIV has been around for over two decades and ARVs has been around for more than a decade, adolescents living with HIV still faces challenges such as stigmatisation due to social as well as clinical factors and adjusting to a lifelong treatment which made it difficult for them to adhere to their treatment. However, adolescents are happy as they are living a healthy and a fruitful life as a result of the ARVs. Ethical considerations were adhered too. Furthermore the findings of the study could assist the Ministries of Health, Education, Local Government and Rural Development to address these challenges experienced by the adolescents in the development of social programmes to improve the livelihood of the adolescents living with HIV/AIDS.
Adolescents’ perceptions and experiences of Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at a tertiary hospital in Francistown, Botswana
(University of the Western Cape, 2016) Selape-Kebuang, Bongani Lebo; De Jongh, Jo-Celene
Botswana is experiencing high levels of HIV prevalence rate at 16.9% among the general population, 4.5% among adolescents aged 10-14 and 4.7% among adolescents aged 14-19. Adolescents are in a critically stage between childhood and adulthood and undergo a lot of developmental changes physically, sychologically and emotionally. The scourge of HIV/AIDS has also brought with it multiple challenges to adolescents as those who are HIV positive have to adhere to all the health requirements of being HIV positive and at the same time being pressurised by the societal expectations. Stigmatisation and discrimination are experienced as barriers against the fight towards HIV which is seen a major factor among adolescents. The aim of the study was to explore and describe adolescents’ perceptions and experiences of anti-retroviral therapy at a tertiary hospital in Francistown, Botswana. The study followed a qualitative research approach with an exploratory descriptive research design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Participants were school going adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years, who are on antiretroviral therapy and going for reviews at a tertiary hospital in Francistown, Botswana. Data were gathered though face to face semi structured interviews with each of the 24 participants. Data were analysed thematically. The following four themes emerged during the analysis: i. “ARVs control but don’t cure”; ii. “Why did it happen to me?-the reality of using ARVs”; iii. “I don’t want to take them for the rest of my life”; and iv. “No man is an island”, which addressed the research objectives. The findings led to the conclusion that, despite the fact that HIV has been around for over two decades and ARVs has been around for more than a decade, adolescents living with HIV still faces challenges such as stigmatisation due to social as well as clinical factors and adjusting to a lifelong treatment which made it difficult for them to adhere to their treatment. However, adolescents are happy as they are living a healthy and a fruitful life as a result of the ARVs. Ethical considerations were adhered too. Furthermore the findings of the study could assist the Ministries of Health, Education, Local Government and Rural Development to address these challenges experienced by the adolescents in the development of social programmes to improve the livelihood of the adolescents living with HIV/AIDS.
Lived experiences of family members’ adjusting to HIV/AIDS disclosure within the family.
(University of the Western Cape, 2020) Tshoto, Ncedisa; Hess-April, Lucia
HIV/AIDS is one of the major challenging illnesses globally and is increasingly recognised as an illness that affects families and not just the individual. While HIV/AIDS has brought many challenges to infected individuals and their families, the focus has primarily been on individuals with HIV/AIDS in relation to their needs. Families often provide most of the emotional and physical care to a family member with HIV/AIDS, placing a huge strain on them that could lead to tension between family members. There is a paucity of research exploring the phenomenon of being a member of a family affected by HIV/AIDS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of family members adjusting to HIV/AIDS disclosure within their families.
Psychosocial variables in the transmission of AIDS
(University of the Western Cape, 1991) Perkel, Adrian Keith; Broekmann, N.
In the decade since first identified, the Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become a serious global disease. The nature of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes AIDS, whereby a carrier may be asymptomatic yet remain infectious, has enabled its dramatic spread. The number of AIDS cases is increasing exponentially, averaging a doubling time of between 8-15 months in different countries. Of the millions of HIV carriers, it is now estimated that all will eventually go on to develop full-blown AIDS and probably die within 15 years. Unlike other infectiqus diseases, there is currently no known vaccine or cure. Further, HIV is now virtually completely dependent on volitional sexual behaviours for transmission to occur. It is therefore an entirely preventable disease. However, since the behaviours that contribute to HIV-transmission are influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors, their alteration in line with safer sexual practices has been shown to be considerably complex and difficult. Intervention strategies that have relied on imparting knowledge about the disease have achieved limited success in influencing behaviour change. Unsafe sexual practices, and the risk of HIV-infection, often continue even when knowledge regarding prevention is adequate. It has therefore become apparent that other variables intrude which may mediate between knowledge acquisition, attitude formation, and consequent sexual behaviours. There appear to be no models which adequately explain the complexities in this area, and which enable adequate intervention strategies to be developed. The present study was undertaken to redress this problem, and to explore those variables that mediate in the area. Various psychological and social factors appear to be implicated in influencing sexual attitudes and behaviours. In order to adequately test the impact of psychosocial variables that were found to have significant associations in an exploratory study, a measuring instrument was developed. The AIDS Psychosocial Scale was statistically validated using content, frequency, factor, and reliability analyses and included psychological factors of self concept, defenses of denial, repression, and rationalisation, perceived empowerment in the form of locus of control and selfefficacy, and the social factor of peer pressure susceptibility. The impact of these psychosocial variables on indices of knowledge, condom attitude, and sexual practices, and on other epidemiological variables was tested using a sample of students at the University of the Western Cape (n=308). Results indicated a number of correlational and causal links between variables, confirming the mediational role psychosocial factors have in influencing knowledge acquisition, attitude formation, and behaviour outcome. A profile of lower self concept, higher defenses, lower self-efficacy, more external locus of control, and higher peer pressure susceptibility emerged which was associated with poorer knowledge, more negative attitudes, and higher unsafe sex. Based on this study, a model of psychosocial mediation is developed and its implications for intervention strategies discussed.
Psychosocial variables in the transmission of AIDS
(University of the Western Cape, 1991) Perkel, Adrian Keith; Broekmann, N.
In the decade since first identified, the Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become a serious global disease. The nature of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes AIDS, whereby a carrier may be asymptomatic yet remain infectious, has enabled its dramatic spread. The number of AIDS cases is increasing exponentially, averaging a doubling time of between 8-15 months in different countries. Of the millions of HIV carriers, it is now estimated that all will eventually go on to develop full-blown AIDS and probably die within 15 years. Unlike other infectiqus diseases, there is currently no known vaccine or cure. Further, HIV is now virtually completely dependent on volitional sexual behaviours for transmission to occur. It is therefore an entirely preventable disease. However, since the behaviours that contribute to HIV-transmission are influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors, their alteration in line with safer sexual practices has been shown to be considerably complex and difficult. Intervention strategies that have relied on imparting knowledge about the disease have achieved limited success in influencing behaviour change. Unsafe sexual practices, and the risk of HIV-infection, often continue even when knowledge regarding prevention is adequate. It has therefore become apparent that other variables intrude which may mediate between knowledge acquisition, attitude formation, and consequent sexual behaviours. There appear to be no models which adequately explain the complexities in this area, and which enable adequate intervention strategies to be developed. The present study was undertaken to redress this problem, and to explore those variables that mediate in the area. Various psychological and social factors appear to be implicated in influencing sexual attitudes and behaviours. In order to adequately test the impact of psychosocial variables that were found to have significant associations in an exploratory study, a measuring instrument was developed. The AIDS Psychosocial Scale was statistically validated using content, frequency, factor, and reliability analyses and included psychological factors of self concept, defenses of denial, repression, and rationalisation, perceived empowerment in the form of locus of control and selfefficacy, and the social factor of peer pressure susceptibility. The impact of these psychosocial variables on indices of knowledge, condom attitude, and sexual practices, and on other epidemiological variables was tested using a sample of students at the University of the Western Cape (n=308). Results indicated a number of correlational and causal links between variables, confirming the mediational role psychosocial factors have in influencing knowledge acquisition, attitude formation, and behaviour outcome. A profile of lower self concept, higher defenses, lower self-efficacy, more external locus of control, and higher peer pressure susceptibility emerged which was associated with poorer knowledge, more negative attitudes, and higher unsafe sex. Based on this study, a model of psychosocial mediation is developed and its implications for intervention strategies discussed.

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