ABSTRACT
Background: With the advent and wide availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), HIV- infected children are currently living health lives and growing into adulthood. There has been mounting evidence on the benefits of appropriate HIV disclosure to adolescents. However, various researches reported contradicting results as disclosure having both negative and positive social and psychological impacts on children. This study aimed to determine the effect of HIV status disclosure on the psychosocial wellbeing, adherence to treatment and HIV treatment outcome of adolescents who are taking ART at Katutura State Hospital, pediatric HIV Clinic. The study also aimed to determine the risk of Psycho social “deviations” in HIV status disclosed adolescents as compared to undisclosed adolescent on HAART and to compare the adherence level, CD4 count, and viral load of disclosed and non-disclosed adolescent children also on HAART at the same clinic. The newly implemented Pediatric HIV disclosure program in Namibia prompted this study. The program is guided by the World Health Organization which reported mixed effects after HIV status disclosure on the adolescents and it was deemed necessary to assess whether HIV status disclosure results in a better psychosocial wellbeing, higher CD4 count and lower viral load among adolescent children put on HAART.
TJITUKA, F (2021). The Effect Of HIV Status Disclosure And Non-Disclosure On The Psychosocial Wellbeing, Adherence Levels And Treatment Outcomes Of Adolescents On Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) A. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/the-effect-of-hiv-status-disclosure-and-non-disclosure-on-the-psychosocial-wellbeing-adherence-levels-and-treatment-outcomes-of-adolescents-on-highly-active-anti-retroviral-therapy-haart-at-k
TJITUKA, FRANCINA "The Effect Of HIV Status Disclosure And Non-Disclosure On The Psychosocial Wellbeing, Adherence Levels And Treatment Outcomes Of Adolescents On Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) A" Afribary. Afribary, 19 Apr. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/the-effect-of-hiv-status-disclosure-and-non-disclosure-on-the-psychosocial-wellbeing-adherence-levels-and-treatment-outcomes-of-adolescents-on-highly-active-anti-retroviral-therapy-haart-at-k. Accessed 17 May. 2024.
TJITUKA, FRANCINA . "The Effect Of HIV Status Disclosure And Non-Disclosure On The Psychosocial Wellbeing, Adherence Levels And Treatment Outcomes Of Adolescents On Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) A". Afribary, Afribary, 19 Apr. 2021. Web. 17 May. 2024. < https://afribary.com/works/the-effect-of-hiv-status-disclosure-and-non-disclosure-on-the-psychosocial-wellbeing-adherence-levels-and-treatment-outcomes-of-adolescents-on-highly-active-anti-retroviral-therapy-haart-at-k >.
TJITUKA, FRANCINA . "The Effect Of HIV Status Disclosure And Non-Disclosure On The Psychosocial Wellbeing, Adherence Levels And Treatment Outcomes Of Adolescents On Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) A" Afribary (2021). Accessed May 17, 2024. https://afribary.com/works/the-effect-of-hiv-status-disclosure-and-non-disclosure-on-the-psychosocial-wellbeing-adherence-levels-and-treatment-outcomes-of-adolescents-on-highly-active-anti-retroviral-therapy-haart-at-k