School experiences of HIV-positive secondary school learners on ARV treatment in Namibia

Baxen, Jean; Haipinge, Emilie

doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2014.11.002

Cited by 17 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Despite some controversy surrounding the significance of school-based support in preventing HIV and other STIs among adolescents [ 33 , 34 ], school-based programs have been shown to successfully implement HIV education, prevention and testing activities in schools [ 35 , 36 ]. Limited studies from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia highlight primarily qualitative insights into the anticipated positive role schools can play in contributing to the overall health, wellbeing and academic success of AYLHIV students through the provision of care and treatment support [ 37 , 38 ]. Significant gaps remain in evidence regarding feasibility of effective school-based interventions to improve health outcomes among AYLHIV in resource-limited settings affected by the HIV epidemic [ 16 , 23 , 39 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting adolescents living with HIV within boarding schools in Kenya

Kose

Lenz

Akuno³

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

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Adolescents and youth living with HIV (AYLHIV) are a uniquely vulnerable population facing challenges around adherence, disclosure of HIV status and stigma. Providing school-based support for AYLHIV offers an opportunity to optimize their health and wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of school-based supportive interventions for AYLHIV in Kenya. From 2016–2019, with funding from ViiV Healthcare, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation implemented the innovative Red Carpet Program (RCP) for AYLHIV in participating public healthcare facilities and boarding schools in Homa Bay and Turkana Counties in Kenya. In this analysis, we report the implementation of the school-based interventions for AYLHIV in schools, which included: a) capacity building for overall in-school HIV, stigma and sexual and reproductive health education; b) HIV care and treatment support; c) bi-directional linkages with healthcare facilities; and d) psychosocial support (PSS). Overall, 561 school staff and 476 school adolescent health advocates received training to facilitate supportive environments for AYLHIV and school-wide education on HIV, stigma, and sexual and reproductive health. All 87 boarding schools inter-linked to 66 regional healthcare facilities to support care and treatment of AYLHIV. Across all RCP schools, 546 AYLHIV had their HIV status disclosed to school staff and received supportive care within schools, including treatment literacy and adherence counselling, confidential storage and access to HIV medications. School-based interventions to optimize care and treatment support for AYLHIV are feasible and contribute to advancing sexual and reproductive health within schools.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting adolescents living with HIV within boarding schools in Kenya

Kose

Lenz

Akuno³

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

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“…Stigma reduction interventions should focus not only on reducing stigma towards ALHIV but also be individualised to reduce the internalisation of stigma by ALHIV. Stigma and discrimination remain common in Namibian educational settings, including nonconsensual disclosure by teachers (Baxen & Haipinge, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Households containing orphans tend to rate higher on poverty indices compared with households containing nonorphans (Namibia Statistics Agency, ). Additional risk factors for mental health problems include HIV‐related stigma found to be widespread in Namibia (Baxen & Haipinge, ). This study describes mental health problems experienced by ALHIV in Windhoek, Namibia, and assesses context‐specific factors implicated in poorer mental health to inform interventions and policies for this population in Namibia and other resource‐limited settings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of mental health problems in adolescents living with HIV in Namibia

Gentz

Romano

Martínez-Arias

et al. 2017

Child Adoles Ment Health

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Background Little research in sub‐Saharan Africa has looked at factors that predict mental health problems in adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV). This study examines the psychological impact of HIV in adolescents in Namibia, including risk and protective factors associated with mental health. Methods Ninety‐nine fully disclosed ALHIV between the ages of 12 and 18 were interviewed at a State Hospital in Windhoek. A structured questionnaire assessed mental health, using the SDQ (Goodman, 1997), sociodemographic factors, poverty, social support, adherence and stigma. Results Mean age was 14.3 years, 52.5% were female and most were healthy. Twelve percent scored in the clinical range for total mental health difficulties and 22% for emotional symptoms. Poverty was associated with more total mental health difficulties, t(96) = −2.63, p = .010, and more emotional symptoms, t(96) = −3.45, p = .001, whereas better social support was a protective factor, particularly caregiver support (r = −.337, p = .001). Adherence problems, HIV‐related stigma and disclosing one's own HIV status to others were also associated with more total mental health difficulties. Poverty (β = −.231, p = .023) and stigma (β = .268, p = .009) were the best predictors for total mental health difficulties, whereas stigma (β = .314, p = .002) predicted emotional symptoms. Social support had a protective effect on peer problems (p = .001, β = −.349). Conclusions Several contextual factors associated with poorer mental health in ALHIV are identified.

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“…Significant barriers include HIV-related stigma e.g., [6,24], financial deficiencies and poor health [18]. Additionally, Baxen and Haipinge reported inadequate support in schools for YLWHA due to non-disclosure of HIV status [25]. Inadvertent disclosure that usually occurs as a result of lack of privacy for HIV-positive leaners to take medication at school, frequent illnesses, and frequent visits to the ART clinics [26], often led to discrimination of YLWHA and in some cases dropping out of school [27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Inadvertent disclosure that usually occurs as a result of lack of privacy for HIV-positive leaners to take medication at school, frequent illnesses, and frequent visits to the ART clinics [26], often led to discrimination of YLWHA and in some cases dropping out of school [27]. Teachers were also reported to be indiscreet, ignorant about HIV/ AIDS, non-caring and non-responsive to taunts from other children reported to them by students living with HIV [25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiences and perceptions of youth living with HIV in Western Uganda on school attendance: barriers and facilitators

Kimera

Vindevogel²,

Kintu

et al. 2020

BMC Public Health

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Background: The globally recognized socioeconomic benefits of education have stirred many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa like Uganda to promote universal access to schooling by removing fiscal barricades for those in primary and secondary schools. However, the proportion of Youth Living With HIV/AIDS (YLWHA) missing school, studying with difficulties and dropping out of school in Uganda has been observed to be higher than that of other youth. This study aimed at understanding the barriers and facilitators for YLWHA in Uganda to attend school. Methods: We conducted a qualitative inquiry with 35 purposively selected YLWHA aged 12 to 19 years, including 16 females at three accredited Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) treatment centres in Kabarole district in Western Uganda. Individual semi-structured interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic inductive analysis. Results: We identified five main themes in which barriers to attend school were reported and four main themes in which facilitators were reported by participants. The main themes for barriers were: 1) management of ART and illnesses, 2) fear, negative thoughts and self-devaluation, 3) lack of meaningful and supportive relationships, 4) reactionary attitudes and behaviours from others at school, 5) financial challenges. The main themes for facilitators were: 1) practical support at school, home and community, 2) counselling, encouragement and spirituality, 3) individual coping strategies, 4) hopes, dreams and opportunities for the future. Conclusion: Most of the barriers reported arose from HIV-related stigma and financial challenges whose genesis transcends school boundaries. While YLWHA reported measures to cope, and support from other people, these were non-sustainable and on a limited scale due to disclosure apprehension at school and the indiscretion of those who learnt about their status. To promote supportive school environments for YLWHA, integrated curricular and extracurricular interventions are necessary to increase HIV knowledge, dispel misconceptions about HIV and consequently transform the school community from a stigmatizing one to a supportive one.

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School experiences of HIV-positive secondary school learners on ARV treatment in Namibia

Cited by 17 publications

References 22 publications

Supporting adolescents living with HIV within boarding schools in Kenya

Supporting adolescents living with HIV within boarding schools in Kenya

Predictors of mental health problems in adolescents living with HIV in Namibia

Experiences and perceptions of youth living with HIV in Western Uganda on school attendance: barriers and facilitators

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