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Pinkie Nyamakazi, Lungile Mchunu, S’fiso Mnguni, Eka Esu-Williams,
and Tobey C. Nelson. "Impact of a school-based HIV care and
support program on OVC aged 11–15 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa." (Poster
no. A117)
ABSTRACT
Background
The Valley Trust and Horizons trained youth to implement a
school-based care and support program for orphans and vulnerable
children (OVC) in Kwa-Ximba, KwaZulu-Natal. In
addition to providing homework assistance, psychosocial support, and
community outreach, the youth were trained to increase knowledge and
communication and change stigmatizing attitudes around HIV and AIDS.
Methods
Baseline data were collected from 597 in-school OVC, ages 11–15
years at five primary schools in 2005. Following the intervention, endline data were collected one year later from 524 OVC who
participated in the baseline survey. Data were collected using an
interviewer-assisted group-administered questionnaire. Qualitative
data were collected at baseline and endline from OVC, caregivers, and
other stakeholders through focus group discussion.
Results
Results demonstrate reductions in stigmatizing attitudes. For
example, there was a significant increase among OVC who would be
willing to play with a child whose parent(s) had died of AIDS (39%
to 70%; p<.01) and among respondents willing to care for a family
member with AIDS (42% to 83%; p<.01). There were also significant
increases in communication; the percentage of respondents who
reported discussing HIV/AIDS in the home during the previous six
months significantly increased (27% to 36%; p<.01). There was a
highly significant (p<.01) increase in knowledge of sexual
transmission at endline (70% to 90%). However, knowledge questions
related to causal contact did not show similar positive changes.
Conclusions
OVC who participated in the program demonstrated positive
changes in stigmatizing attitudes, communication around HIV/AIDS, and
knowledge regarding sexual transmission. The data suggest that a
more intensive training program for caregivers as well as a stronger
intervention may facilitate more positive changes in participant’s
knowledge related to HIV/AIDS, and address misconceptions about HIV
transmission.
3rd South African AIDS Conference Web site
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