13th International AIDS Conference Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. ThOrD690)

Tlou S
S. Tlou, P/Bag 0022, Gaborone, Botswana, Tel.: +267 355 2360, Fax: +267 585 096, E-mail: tlous@mopipi.ub.bw

METHOD: Face to face, in-depth interviews were conducted with 23 rural girls aged 11 to 16 who were secondary caregivers of a relative (parent, aunt, uncle, older sister, etc) who was diagnosed as having AIDS. The interviews were conducted by the investigator at the homes of the participants, using a semi-structured interview guide.

RESULTS: All the girls were students at elementary or high school, and did the caregiving after school hours. Their most commonly expressed needs were related to: (1) Inadequate information about HIV/AIDS, including the fact that almost half of them were not even aware that the relative had AIDS. None of them had ever used gloves in caregiving. (2) The psychosocial burden of care. Emotions of fear, helplessness, and anticipation of the worst were expressed, as well as the fatique and lack of sleep from caring at night. Most important, the schooling of the girls was affected in the form of neglected homework and missed extracurricula activities.

CONCLUSION: Where there is no collective caregiving, girl children are often used for respite care by the primary caregivers, with potentially disastrous consequences. There is need for close collaborating between community health nurses and families so that home based care is not perceived as dumping patients on women and girls.

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