Post disclosure experiences of perinatally infected children living with HIV in Masindi Municipality main hosipital

Abstract

The study sought to assess the post disclosure experiences of perinatally infected children of HIV AIDS in Masindi main hospital, Masindi municipality. This was assessed through investigating how perinatally children living with HIV were emotionally, psychologically and socially affected upon learning their sero HIV positive status at Masindi main hospital, Masindi municipality. The study adopted the descriptive design which sought to answer the how and why questions. The study population included children living with HIV aged 12 to 17 years that had enrolled on the ART program of Masindi main hospital. And these included key informants such as the health worker and the counsellor that offer the ART services, the care givers whose children are enrolled on the ART program of Masindi Main Hospital and the Children themselves living with HIV. Results revealed that CLWHA reported feelings of guilt and shame and this was especially with the participants who were going to school. Additionally, CLWHA felt negative feelings especially of anger, worry and fear especially due to the reactions that the participants expected would come out of community judgement. In addition, results revealed that CLWHA were psychologically affected upon learning their sero HIV status and developed depression, isolation tendencies and discrimination. Based on the study findings, the researcher recommends that there is need for provision of reading materials about HIV to the children, provision of financial support from both government and donors to support formation of drama clubs for continued positive sensitization, there is also need for testing of adolescents especially for those whose parents are already positive and have never taken their children for testing and that there is need for provision of both drugs and condoms to children at the facility every time they visit the hospital to limit the continued spread.