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AEGIS European Conference on African Studies
11 - 14 July 2007
African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
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The impact of psycho-social support on ARV therapy
| Panel |
72. Enhancing resilience in orphans and vulnerable children
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| Paper ID | 664 |
| Author(s) |
Gwezera, Brighton
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| Paper |
No paper submitted
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| Abstract | Initial interventions in area of paediatric HIV/AIDS focused on the medical urgency and terminal nature of the disease. As attention was more on healing the physical symptoms, there was little done to address the long-term psychosocial issues. With new medical advances allowing HIV infected children to live longer, addressing psychosocial issues in the context of ARV treatment is now of paramount importance.
While studies of the long-term psycho-social effects of pediatric HIV/AIDS are scarce, studies of the effects of terminal and chronic illnesses in children indicate that they tend to impact many areas of a child’s life, including school, family, and social life. Studies have noted that adjustment problems associated with terminal and chronic illnesses in children include increased risk for depressive symptoms, behavioral problems, academic difficulties, and feelings of isolation and withdrawal. Increased risk for developing psychological symptoms for terminally ill children does not necessarily mean that all children will fail to positively adjust to the illness. In light of this possibility researchers have started to examine variables that may lessen the risk for emotional difficulties. A number of variables have been shown to predict adaptation to terminal illness, for example, socioeconomic status, coping style, parental style, and psychosocial support (Fischer, 1999).
Memory Work: A Psycho-Social Support Technique
The growing recognition of social and emotional needs has seen the emergence of the Memory Work, which seeks to respond to the social and emotional needs of those affected and infected with HIV/AIDS. The different techniques of Memory Work aim to encourage children to tell and share their stories in a way that allows them to make sense of their experiences, thus fostering resilience, communication and empowerment.
Although there is no set model that can be used to address the psychosocial issues faced by HIV infected children, Memory Work may well play a major part in the healing process of these children. The appropriateness of Memory Work as a psychosocial support tool in the context of paediatric HIV will depend, however, on the medical, social and cultural situations in which families and caregivers find themselves.
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