Abstract
BackgroundAlmost three decades after the discovery of HIV and AIDS in Ghana, the most obvious impact of the disease is the growing orphan crisis affecting most families and communities, especially in areas that the prevalence of HIV has exceeded the epidemic’s threshold of 5%. Studies have indicated that these orphans usually experience a wide range of problems which include education, nutrition, physical and sexual abuse, emotional and psychological distress, stigma and discrimination, among others The aim of the study was to examine the social, cultural, and traditional norms and practices that influence the care of children orphaned by AIDS in Ghana.MethodsThe study employed focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews to generate information on the socio-cultural factors that impact orphan care in the Ashanti and Eastern regions of Ghana.ResultsThe findings indicated that the cultural practices that influence how well an AIDS orphan is taken care of by their caregivers include traditional rituals, ceremonies, and norms like funeral rites, marriage and naming ceremonies, festivals, inheritance, polygyny, and puberty rites. The social factors mentioned to affect orphan care significantly were: excessive alcohol drinking, and tobacco and drug use, dressing with fashion, night club attendance, market days, stigma and discrimination, among others.ConclusionIt is recommended that though some cultural and traditional practices are deeply rooted in communities and cannot be done away completely, orphan care policies on interventions should take into account these factors to mitigate their effects on the care of orphans.
Highlights
Almost three decades after the discovery of HIV and AIDS in Ghana, the most obvious impact of the disease is the growing orphan crisis affecting most families and communities, especially in areas that the prevalence of HIV has exceeded the epidemic’s threshold of 5%
Children orphaned by AIDS and their caregivers were identified in the Ashanti Region through some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working on HIV and AIDS and orphan care, in the study sites
In the Eastern Region, they were identified through staff of the Atua District Hospital, “Persons Living With HIV and AIDS” (PLWHA) and an NGO working with them
Summary
Almost three decades after the discovery of HIV and AIDS in Ghana, the most obvious impact of the disease is the growing orphan crisis affecting most families and communities, especially in areas that the prevalence of HIV has exceeded the epidemic’s threshold of 5%. Community-based interventions are Yarney et al BMC Public Health (2015) 15:6 urgently needed as the most appropriate way of addressing the rising orphan problem, the complex local reality in which cultural factors, kinship ties and poverty are interwoven, needs to be taken into consideration if sustainable solutions are to be found [4]. Data of this nature are limited in sub-Saharan Africa where problems of children orphaned by AIDS are most prevalent
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