Assessment of Community Volunteers Home Based Care for Peoples Living With HIV/AIDS in Adama (Nazareth) Town, Ethiopia
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Date
2006-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Currently, HBC programs for PLWHA are implemented in
different African countries after the inceptions of the epidemic. However, the
designed HBC programs may differ from place to place, that means whether
model of community/NGO-based initiative or Hospital-based initiative HBC
programs. To implement CHBC program for PLWHA efficiently and
effectively, it is necessary to assess the perceptions and contextual experience of
home caregivers in the community.
Objective: It was to assess and explore the contextual based experience of
CVHBC service for PLWHA in oromia region, Adama (Nazareth) town.
Methods: Using a qualitative method the perceptions, range of activities, and
the major challenges in HBC were described in this study. In-depth interview
and FGDs were conducted with VHC givers and their team leaders selected
from the ‘six’ HBC-teams in the town. The selection of study-participants was
purposive with the aim of obtaining knowledgeable and experienced individual
VHC-givers from the team members.
Findings: The findings were described in three categories: perception of VHC
givers to HBC, range of HBC activities, and challenges in HBC. The result
showed that VHC givers perceived that HBC is a continuum of care that help
PLWHA by providing basic care according to their needs in their home without
any gap between health facilities and HBC. However, they performed a limited
range of home care activities that were inadequate care. Further more, patients’
poverty, lack of adequate resources, lack of adequate support; presence of
stigma, rejection, and abuse; lack of training and supervision by health
professional and for caregivers, and lack of health care infrastructures were
indicated as the major factors that affect the provision of better quality home
care.
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Conclusion: In general, the HBC process in the study areas were indicated that
it was unorganized and not coordinated, which means there was lack of
professional support as well as lack of adequate materials and financial support
besides the lack of all stakeholders’ participations, lack of adequate HBC
infrastructure and the absence of communications among the organizations.
Further studies, however, are recommended for better understanding of these
major challenging issues in HBC of PLWHA, using a combination of qualitative
& quantitative research methods
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Keywords
HIV/AIDS