Effects of an Empowerment Program on Coping, Quality of Life, and the Maternal Role Adaptation of Thai HIV-Infected Mothers

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore strategies for improving the appropriateness of a health care delivery model to meet HIV-infected mothers' complex needs. A participatory action research paradigm was used as a process for an empowerment program (EP) and to elucidate the essential components of the program identified by these mothers. To test the EP's effectiveness, a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design was used. The participants included 94 Thai HIV-infected mothers rearing their own infants, with 46 in the 6-week experimental group and 48 in the control group. Study findings showed that the mothers in the EP group significantly increased levels of coping ability, quality of life, and maternal role adaptation when compared to mothers in the control group. In addition, data analysis revealed five components of the EP that were identified by mothers as essential for HIV-infected mothers' psychological well-being and their maternal role adaptation. These interventions included peer group meetings, professional support on infant rearing and maternal self-care, stress management, access to available social support, and alternative medicine. The mothers reported greater autonomy, accountability, collegiality, and more effective communication by the implication process of the EP.

Factors associated with postpartum physical and mental morbidity among women with known HIV status in Lusaka, Zambia

“…A study of HIV-positive mothers in Thailand found that women involved in a psychosocial support intervention had significantly increased levels of coping ability, quality of life and maternal role adaptation. The women themselves identified peer group meetings, professional support on infant rearing and maternal self-care, stress management, social support and alternative medicine as essential for HIV-positive mothers' psychological well-being (Jirapaet, 2000). The overall prevalences of mental morbidity in our study at antenatal interview (22%), at seven days (5%) and at six weeks (4%) postpartum were somewhat lower than the prevalences reported by studies using other mental morbidity measurement tools in other sub-Saharan African countries, although most demonstrate similar trends over time.…”

Self-management interventions for people living with human immunodeficiency virus: A scoping review

“…Participation in self-management interventions can empower individuals by enabling them to take more control of their illness, with participants experiencing increased self-confidence and feeling prepared to make better choices (Kennedy et al, 2007;Markham, Shegog, Leonard, Bui, & Paul, 2009). Empowerment can manifest in PHAs having ''feelings of dignity'' restored (Jirapaet, 2000), taking on more responsibility for their own health and making positive life changes (Gifford & Sengupta, 1999), and having more positive interactions with health care providers (Gustafson et al, 1999).…”

Contribuições de uma Intervenção Psicoeducativa para o Enfrentamento do HIV durante a Gestação

“…Com isso, identificaram-se contribuições de uma intervenção psicoeducativa breve para as gestantes. Particularmente, o apoio emocional e informativo promovido pela intervenção parece ter favorecido um enfrentamento mais ativo das mães diante do HIV, reforçando achados quanto ao PIP-Gestantes (Carvalho, 2009) e de outras intervenções nesse contexto (Jirapaet, 2000;Miles et al, 2003).…”