PRACTICES, PERSPECTIVES AND BARRIERS OF HIV DISCLOSURE TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS BY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS; IN ADDIS ABABA HEALTH FACILITIES, ETHIOPIA

Authors

  • Shitahun Fentie
  • Etsegenet Gedlu

Keywords:

HIV , Disclosure , Guidelines , Health professionals

Abstract

 Background: Survival of prenatally infected children into adolescence and beyond made disclosure a major challenge for caregivers, and healthcare professionals providing service to HIV-infected children. There are significant numbers of children and adolescents who are receiving treatment without being fully informed about their HIV status. This is because many health care workers fear that disclosure may create distress for the child.

Objectives: To assess the practices, perspectives, and barriers of pediatric HIV disclosure among health care professional in Addis Ababa health facilities, Ethiopia

Methodology: Quantitative cross-sectional study design was conducted at health facilities taking care of pediatric HIV patients in Addis Ababa from 1st June to 30th of July 2017. A structured and pretested questionnaire was used to assess 138 HCWs during the study period. Data was collected by trained nurses. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. The results were presented with percentages, frequency tables, and figures. Bivariate analysis was done to test the association between pediatric HIV status disclosure by HCPs and different factors of the health care workers. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the independent predictors of disclosure to children by HCPs.

Result: A total of 138 HCPs included in the study the majority 96(69.6%) were females. Nurses account more than half of the participants 75 (54.3%). Though most HCPs 134(97.1%) believed children will benefit if they are disclosed, more than one third (36.2%) of them have not ever disclosed to a child. Training on pediatric HIV disclosure [AOR=6.264; 95%CI: 1.978 19.841, pvalue =0.001] and availability of guidelines for disclosure [AOR =8.350; 95%CI: 1.737-40.126, p-value =0.001] independently increased the odds of HIV positive status disclosure to children by HCPs.

Conclusion: Unavailability of guidelines in some of the Health facilities, and lack of training on pediatric HIV disclosure for HCPs have been found to be constraints for disclosure. Improved training and the availability of guidelines on pediatric HIV disclosure would alleviate the discrepancies that exist among healthcare providers on disclosure of HIV status to children

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Published

2021-08-20

How to Cite

Fentie, S. ., & Gedlu, E. . (2021). PRACTICES, PERSPECTIVES AND BARRIERS OF HIV DISCLOSURE TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS BY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS; IN ADDIS ABABA HEALTH FACILITIES, ETHIOPIA. Ethiopian Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health, 16(1). Retrieved from https://www.ejpch.net/index.php/ejpch/article/view/82