艾滋病、非洲与国际援助

艾滋病的流行不仅严重地影响了人类的健康,而且对社会经济等诸多方面都产生了不利的影响.从艾滋病在全球流行的基本状况入手,指出艾滋病对流行地区,尤其是撒哈拉以南非洲社会经济等方面的影响程度,并结合该地区多数国家经济发展水平落后和发达国家对外援助的现实状况,提出加大国际援助非洲控制艾滋病的紧迫性.     

艾滋病、非洲与国际援助

艾滋病的流行不仅严重地影响了人类的健康,而且对社会经济等诸多方面都产生了不利的影响。从艾滋病在全球流行的基本状况入手,指出艾滋病对流行地区,尤其是撒哈拉以南非洲社会经济等方面的影响程度,并结合该地区多数国家经济发展水平落后和发达国家对外援助的现实状况,提出加大国际援助非洲控制艾滋病的紧迫性。     

Poverty and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for Psychological Well-being

The study examines the literature on poverty and HIV/AIDS in an effort to explore the various psychological resources available for affected individuals. Poverty is an increased risk for HIV and AIDS for a majority of the citizens of sub-Saharan Africa, and also lowered their subjective well-being. Furthermore, research evidence revealed that the relationship between poverty and subjective well-being is mediated by the intervention of such psychological variables as locus of control, self esteem, depression and coping strategies among others. Psychological resources for positive well-being that could ameliorate the potentially devastating combined effects of HIV and poverty are suggested.     

HIV and AIDS in Africa: social,political, and economic realities

Sub-Saharan Africa bears the brunt of the HIV epidemic, which is fueled by the many ethical, social, and political complexities that make up Africa. In turn, the pandemic has also caused many ethical, social, and political complexities that Africa now grapples with. Being infected with HIV is highly complex and challenging. Regrettably, gender inequality is still pervasive in Africa. The response by African leaders to the pandemic has been, on the whole, shamefully lethargic. For Africa to win its war against HIV/AIDS, a paradigm shift is required from the perspective of its socio-political context. What is called for is positive political will that will address all aspects of the social determinants of AIDS. What is also required is that Ubuntu is embraced meaningfully.     

HIV/AIDS in South Africa: a review of sexual behavior among adolescents

South Africa has a fast-growing HIV/AIDS rate, with the highest prevalence among young people (15 to 24 years), especially females. This paper is a comprehensive analytical review of available research concerning the sexual behavior of adolescents in South Africa. It offers insight into HIV infection among adolescents and provides an important base for educational interventions aimed at behavior change and reducing further transmission. The most important conclusion is that, despite the research (however limited) that has been done, there has been no significant change in the rate of infection among adolescents in South Africa. A new generation of behavioral interventions, involving both factual knowledge and life skills to promote behavioral risk reduction, is recommended.     

Women coping with AIDS in Africa: contributions of a contextually grounded research methodology

The primary objective of this report is to describe a contextually grounded approach to the investigation of coping and psychological functioning in AIDS-sick mothers. Five AIDS-sick women on antiretroviral therapy who had at least one child under 6 years of age living in their households were interviewed. Among the issues that emerged was the complexity of the women's psychological functioning, the fact that they made strategic decisions about disclosure aimed at protecting important social support networks, and that their well-being was dynamically influenced by factors in the home and community. The study provides evidence for the value of a contextual approach when investigating the psychological functioning of HIV positive mothers living in poor high-HIV prevalence communities in developing countries.     

Catholic pastoral care as a response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Southern Africa

Recent estimates suggest that more than 10% of Southern Africa is HIV+. This article is based on a research study of sixty four pastoral care projects focussing on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Southern Africa. The projects, which fall under the auspices of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference AIDS office, focus on both education for HIV prevention and the pastoral care of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The article recounts the results achieved by these projects over the last two years, discussing their strengths and weaknesses, and proposes some recommendations for further action. The author discusses the pastoral and theological dimensions of these pastoral services indicating the importance of socio-cultural mediation in pastoral responses.     

Factors leading to orphans and vulnerable children living in community-based homes

This study explored the influences on living arrangements of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) housed at a community-based home in Johannesburg, South Africa. A total of 50 OVC (males = 36%, females = 64%; age range 11 to 18 years) completed an open-ended questionnaire, while some of them also participated in individual interviews and focus group discussions on how they became residents of the community-based home. The data were thematically analysed. Findings suggest their choice to live in a community-based care setting to have been influenced by homelessness with accompanying poverty, health issues, experiences of child abuse and neglect, discrimination, and domestic violence. School psychologists working with OVC from community-based homes should consider pathways by which the children could be provided with needed support for resilient health and wellness.     

Funding orphanages on donations and gifts: Implications for orphans in Ghana

Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a growth in the number of children who need formal alternative care. One of the principal factors contributing to this is orphanhood. While most orphans live with their extended families, many end up in privately-run orphanages that operate outside of the government's regulation and funding. Without government assistance and being the most costly care option, the orphanages have to come up with mechanisms to get the finances that they need. However, relatively little evidence exists on the funding streams of orphanages in sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on the literature from Ghana and other low-income countries, the study explores the funding of orphanages and its implications for orphans in Ghana. The evidence from the literature shows that the funding for most orphanages comes from donations by private organisations and individuals, mostly from the developed world. This funding system is generally unsustainable and carries negative ramifications for the social-emotional progress and rights of orphans residing in orphanages, such as abuse, unnecessary institutionalisation, and stigma. Policy and practice recommendations include increasing government's subsidy to the orphanages, regulating donations to and volunteering in orphanages, and helping unlicensed orphanages to transition to the provision of family-strengthening services.     

Opinion on AIDS prevention and education among rural secondary school pupils in the northern province of South Africa

The study investigated perceptions of AIDS prevention and education among 308 Grade 11 pupils (132 boys and 176 girls), secondary school pupils (mainly Northern Sotho and Tsonga) in the Northern Province of South Africa. They were chosen randomly from three rural schools in Mankweng district and were ages 17 to 25 years (M age = 19.1 yr., SD = 2.8). Analysis of ratings given on items of a questionnaire on AIDS prevention and education indicated that 'Isolating people who are HIV positive' and 'How to protect yourself from getting HIV/AIDS' received the highest ratings. Factor analysis extracted three factors on AIDS education explaining 48% of the variance. The items loading strongly on the first factor were use of condoms (.54), giving information (.53), finding a cure (.52), and no sex outside marriage (.42). On AIDS education two factors were extracted accounting for 52% of the variance. The first factor had significant item loadings for 'sexual behaviour and HIV/AIDS' (.75), 'knowledge of self-protection' (.68), 'how AIDS/HIV affects the body' (.66), and 'alcohol and sexual behaviour'. These findings should contribute to the development of health promotion initiatives directed at AIDS/HIV.     

Vulnerabilities in Ghanaian orphans: Using the ecological systems theory as a lens

International studies have suggested that parental loss is a risk factor for poor physical and mental health, but all orphans do not develop the same kind and intensity of wellbeing indicators. This disparity is associated with certain biopsychosocial characteristics of the developing orphan which may interact with certain environmental factors to determine the levels of vulnerability a child may experience following parental death. While studies have been devoted to orphanhood in Ghana, no study has examined the nature of multisystemic risks within the sociocultural environment, and the factors within orphans which may interact to determine their experiences and developmental outcomes in Ghana. In the present paper, the Ecological Systems Theory is used to depict different vulnerabilities associated with orphanhood in the Ghanaian context. Using this theory, I demonstrate that Ghanaian orphans may experience vulnerabilities at all systems of the theory. Implications of the identified vulnerabilities for research, interventions and policy making are discussed.     

An initial exploration of the therapeutic impact of music on genocide orphans in Rwanda

The 1994 Rwandan Genocide murdered over a million and brought on incalculable distress to survivors. An non-governmental organisation, Network for Africa, has a music programme to rehabilitate orphans in Kigali, now entering adulthood. This naturalistic study investigated whether music had transformational meaning for participants. Thirteen participants, (F = 7; M = 6) formed two brief focus groups to explore how music making changes them. Responses were audio recorded, analysed qualitatively by an iterative process to derive initial and then overarching themes. Three major themes emerged: music changes my past, music gives me a safe place in the present including fellowship and prayer and music provides me with personal resource to face an uncertain future. The themes resonate with cognitive therapy elements in managing post-traumatic problems, including grounding and processing the past. Implications of music making for traumatised communities are explored and recommendations made to identify the specific role of music making in a post-conflict, African population.     

Caregiving stress and adjustment problems of Kenyan orphans raised by grandmothers

The present study compared levels of caregiving stress among 115 biological mothers and 134 grandmothers raising their orphaned grandchildren. The associations between parenting stress and adjustment difficulties exhibited by children raised by these two groups of caregivers were also assessed. Full‐time caregiving grandmothers reported elevated levels of stress more than did the biological mothers. A significant negative association was found between child maladjustment and caregiving stress. Caregivers' experienced stress was linked to advanced age and extensive, new adoptive roles now occupied by grandmothers. There was no evidence suggesting that these orphaned children were less well adjusted when compared to children still living with their own birth parents. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Traditional Healing as Indigenous Knowledge: Its Relevance to HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa and the Implications for Counselors

This article integrates the results of several culture-based studies conducted over the past decade. Specifically, links are made between the continued relevance of the African traditional healer's corpus of knowledge, the efficacy of the healer's cultural authority, and the need for HIV/AIDS-related strategies and interventions that are culturally sensitive, especially counseling. Results of an initial investigation of traditional healing in Lesotho, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe are integrated with more recent research in Botswana and Namibia. Findings from these studies are meshed with preliminary results of an ongoing investigation of the contextual influences and cultural factors associated with the spread of HIV/AIDS in the southern African region. Outcomes of the combined investigations have supported further examination of traditional healing as an indigenous knowledge system, of its relevance to HIV/AIDS, and of its significance to professional counselors in Africa. Related recommendations are offered for consideration by those working within HIV/AIDS systems of intervention.     

Support Group Needs for People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in Communities around Durban,South Africa

The study constructed a participant centred perspective of what members of a support group for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) desired from their group meetings. The study sample (n = 34) was from three support groups of PLWHA in a province of South Africa (males = 7, female = 27, mean age = 34.2 years, SD = 6.8 years). Participants completed a brief survey and participated in focus group discussion on views on the ideal support group, actual experience with the support group, and solutions for effective support groups. Findings suggest most members of the support group experienced a high degree of stigma at home and needed a so-called ‘safe space’ to escape to and discuss issues with people experiencing similar problems. Respondents wanted to acquire skills to allow them to help themselves and others in the community. They also desired HIV education so that they could properly understand the virus and help the community understand it to reduce stigma.