Perceptions of care and rehabilitation for children living with HIV in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa

Abstract

ABSTRACT Rehabilitation offered to children living with HIV (CLHIV) experiencing disabilities can address participation restrictions and improve their quality of life and day-to-day community and school engagement. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and insights of healthcare professionals and other key stakeholders, such as community care workers, educators and social workers on the care offered to CLHIV experiencing disabilities in a semi-rural context in South Africa in order to inform and improve the rehabilitation framework. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were used to gather information on the experiences of 15 purposively selected participants involved in the rehabilitative care of CLHIV. Three major themes emerged from the data: perceptions of HIV-related disability, current barriers to care and the proposed shift in care. Participants understood the biopsychosocial viewpoint of disability experienced by CLHIV. Barriers to care of the children included stigma and denial of HIV infection by carers, as well as poor multi-disciplinary team functioning. Participants reported that the ongoing education of healthcare workers, educators and carers as well as a task-shifting approach to care, training lay community members to conduct basic disability screening and referral could improve rehabilitative care for CLHIV.