Patterns of disclosure of HIV status to infected children in a Sub-Saharan African setting

HIV Disclosure to Infected Children Involving Peers: A New Take on HIV Disclosure in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Appropriately informing HIV-infected children of their diagnosis is a real challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Until now, there is no consensus on who ought to disclose and how to disclose. This paper describes the model for HIV status disclosure in which HIV-positive children/adolescents are informed about their diagnosis in a process conducted by young peers under healthcare worker (HCW) supervision in a hospital in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. This new take on HIV status disclosure involving peers includes four stages that help the trained peer supporters to provide appropriate counseling, taking into account the age and level of maturity of the child/adolescent: the preliminary stage, the partial disclosure stage, the full disclosure stage, and the post-disclosure follow-up stage. Of all children/adolescents whose HIV status disclosure data were documented at Kalembelembe Pediatric Hospital (KLLPH) between 2004 and 2016, we found that disclosure by peers was highly accepted by parents, children/adolescents, and health workers. Compared to children/adolescents disclosed to by HCWs or parents, children/adolescents disclosed to by peers had (a) fewer depressive symptoms reported, (b) better drug adherence resulting in higher viral load suppression, and (c) a higher proportion of survivors on treatment. We found that involving peers in the disclosure process of HIV is an important approach to ensure adherence to treatment, resilience, and mental wellbeing of HIV-infected children/adolescents.

HIV Positivity Disclosure Among Children Living with HIV/AIDS and Currently on HAART in Dessie, Northeast Ethiopia

Background

Disclosure of HIV/AIDS positive test result to children is a continuing routine problem in the health care setting. Some of the families as well as the health care workers are negligent to inform children of their HIV status. This study was aimed at identifying the prevalence of HIV-positivity disclosure and the factors among 6–15-year-old children currently on HAART in Dessie, Ethiopia.

Methods

A facility based cross-sectional study design was performed in Dessie from January 21 to March 12, 2020 among 346 parents/caregivers with children living with HIV and currently on HAART. The data were collected using pre-tested, structured and self-administered questionnaires. The collected data were entered into Epi info v.7.1 and exported into SPSS version 23 for further analysis. Binary and multivariable logistic regression was employed and statistically significant factors were identified at 95% CI and at p-value <0.05.

Results

HIV positivity disclosure was found to be 29.2% (26.3–34.7%). Being widowed mothers/caregivers, 11–15-year-old children, child received support from NGOs and having a mother with a negative HIV test were found to be statistically significant factors for disclosure.

Conclusion

The overall HIV positivity disclosure to children living with HIV was found to be low in contrast to the WHO standard. In other ways, it was comparable with the Ethiopian figures. Health workers and managers need to focus on strengthening child support, make known the maternal/caregivers’ HIV status, and child age specific effective interventions to improve disclosure of HIV positivity status for children living with HIV for better ART adherence and treatment outcomes.

Pediatrics HIV-positive status disclosure and its predictors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

HIV-positive status disclosure for children is challenging for family members, guardians, and healthcare professionals. Disclosure is very challenging, particularly for children, yet no systematic synthesis of evidence accurately measures HIV-positive status disclosure in children. This systematic review and meta-analysis study aimed to quantify the national prevalence of pediatric HIV-positive status disclosure in Ethiopia and identify factors associated with HIV-positive status disclosure.

Method

We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science databases, and google scholar for relevant published studies. Studies published in the English language and conducted with cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional designs were eligible for the review. The primary and secondary outcomes of the study were HIV-positive status disclosure and factors associated with HIV-positive status disclosure, respectively. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. A random effect- model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of HIV-positive status disclosure. Heterogeneity and publication bias of included studies was determined using I² and Egger's test, respectively.

Result

From 601 records screened, nine relevant studies consisting of 2,442 HIV-positive children were included in the analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of HIV-positive status disclosure among children living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia was 31.2% (95% CI [23.9-38.5]). HIV-negative status of caregivers (AOR: 2.01; 95% CI [1.28-3.18]), long duration on ART (greater than 5 years) (AOR: 3.2; 95% CI [1.77-5.78]) and older age of the child (>10 years) (AOR: 7.2; 95% CI [4.37-11.88]) were significantly associated with HIV-positive status disclosure.

Conclusion

Low prevalence of pediatric HIV-positive status disclosure was observed in Ethiopia. The longer duration of ART, the HIV-negative status of the caregiver, and older age greater than 10 years were the predictors of pediatric HIV-positive status disclosure. Health system leaders and policymakers shall design training and counseling programs for healthcare professionals and caregivers to enhance their awareness about HIV-positive status disclosure.

Trial registration

This review was registered under PROSPERO and received a unique registration number, CRD42019119049.

“The Peer Educator Is the Game-Changer of My Life”: Perceptions of Adolescents Living with HIV in DR Congo on Involving Peer Educators in the Process of HIV Disclosure

Several approaches to the disclosure of HIV status to children and adolescents have been described. Each of these places particular emphasis on the role of parents and health care workers (HCWs) to mitigate the impact of disclosure on the adolescent without exploring the possible roles that other individuals might play in the process of disclosure. This article assesses the perceptions of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) about disclosure done by parents, guardians, HCWs, peer educators in the role of peer supporters, accidentally or by self-discovery, and the subsequent effects of disclosure method on their mental health. We used a qualitative study to conduct semi-structured interviews with 73 ALHIV at the Kalembelembe Paediatric Hospital, in DR Congo disclosed to by parents, guardians, HCWs, and/or peer educators, respectively, or disclosed to accidentally or by self-discovery. Microsoft Excel analysis matrix was used to organize the qualitative data. The majority of ALHIV whose disclosure involved a peer educator unanimously acknowledged the important role of the peer in accepting their HIV status, in their ART adherence, and their development of self-esteem. However, most ALHIV disclosed without involving peers declared that they had accepted their situation after a relatively long period followed by contact with the peer and integration in the self-support group. We found that the peer approach is the game-changer of the HIV status disclosure process that would allow ALHIV to accept their HIV status with minimum distress, it builds resilience, and allows them to adhere to treatment.

"Those People Motivate and Inspire Me to Take My Treatment." Peer Support for Adolescents Living With HIV in Cape Town, South Africa

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and psychosocial support to manage stigma and disclosure is essential for adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV). Peer support groups can help ALHIV and their families live successfully with HIV. This qualitative study aimed to examine adolescent and caregiver perspectives on peer support groups. Three themes emerged: (1) peer support encouraged adherence to ART, (2) serostatus disclosure outside the family was perceived as difficult, and (3) the peer support group fostered fundamental and meaningful peer relationships for ALHIV. Caregivers felt peer support groups increased self-acceptance and adherence for ALHIV across 3 domains: (1) as motivation for families and adolescents, (2) to increase adolescent independence and maturity, and (3) to help adolescents accept their HIV status and live successfully with HIV. These data highlight the importance of psychosocial support groups for ALHIV and caregivers, illustrating the benefits of a safe space with trusted relationships and open communication.

Truth, Deception, and Coercion; Communication Strategies Used by Caregivers of Children with Perinatally Acquired HIV During the Pre-Disclosure and Post-Disclosure Period in Rural Communities in South Africa

Typically, children with perinatal HIV (PHIV) receive antiretroviral treatment (ART) for a long time prior to receiving disclosure. Communication with children about HIV and treatment is critical for monitoring adherence and retention in care. However, there is a dearth of information on communication between caregivers and their children. This study examines what and how caregivers tell their their children about their illness and medication in the pre-disclosure and post-disclosure period. A qualitative study using semi-structured one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions was conducted with caregivers recruited via purposive sampling from a rural sub-district in South Africa. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The sample consisted of 38 caregivers, 24 of whom were the children's biological mothers, 20 had disclosed to the children and 18 had not done so. Caregivers who had disclosed had told their children the truth and named the disease as HIV, but communication about HIV was infrequent and focused on pill taking. Those who had not disclosed had lied, deflected illness-related information, and attributed the children's ill health to co-morbid conditions. To enforce adherence, most caregivers used coercion and threats of the grave consequences of non-adherence as a communication strategy. Those who had not disclosed used deception, deflecting, and coercion as strategies for coping through the pre-disclosure period. There is a need for healthcare workers to prepare, support, and empower caregivers to develop appropriate responses to children's questions and to understand the implications of deception on future full disclosure and children's acceptance of their HIV status.

Disclosure and health-related outcomes among children living with HIV and their caregivers

Background

The prevalence of disclosure of status to children living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is low in most sub-Saharan African countries, leading to poor compliance and adverse psychological outcomes in these children. This study examined the influence of disclosure on health outcomes in children living with HIV and their caregivers.

Methods

Using a cross-sectional design, 155 HIV-positive children between age 6–15 years and their caregivers were administered standardized questionnaires measuring adherence to medication, children's psychological well-being, caregiver burden, and caregivers’ psychological health.

Results

Results indicated that only 33.5% of the children sampled knew their status. Disclosure of HIV status was significantly related to medication adherence, psychological wellbeing, the burden of caregiving, and the length of the disclosure. A child’s age and level of education were the only demographic variables that significantly predicted disclosure of HIV status. In a hierarchical analysis, after controlling for all demographic variables medication adherence, psychological well-being and burden of caregiving were found to be significant predictors of disclosure of status in children living with HIV.

Conclusions

Findings suggest the need for disclosure of status among children living with HIV for a positive impact on their medication adherence and psychological health. These findings underscore the need for the development of context-specific interventions that will guide and encourage disclosure of status by caregivers to children living with HIV.

Accelerating caregivers' HIV status disclosure to community-based lay social welfare volunteers in Tanzania

Background

HIV status disclosure facilitates access to HIV-related prevention and treatment services and increases opportunities for social support, HIV risk reduction with partners, and index testing for sexual partners or children. This study assessed the effect of a program model of community-based social welfare volunteers on HIV status disclosure among caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

Methods

This was a longitudinal study, which was based on OVC caregivers who were beneficiaries of the USAID Kizazi Kipya project in Tanzania. They were enrolled (baseline) by community social welfare volunteers during 2017–2018, received services, and reassessed at midline in 2019. Caregivers who reported having been HIV tested, were asked to voluntarily report the status in order for the volunteers to establish and provide needed services. Those who reported their HIV status as negative or positive were grouped as “disclosed”, and those who knew their status but did not report it were documented as “undisclosed”. McNemar’s tests compared disclosure rates at baseline and midline. Multivariable analysis was conducted using generalized estimating equation (GEE).

Results

The study analyzed 140,664 caregivers (72% female) from 81 district councils of Tanzania. Their mean age at enrollment was 47.4 years. Overall, 81.3% of the caregivers disclosed their HIV status to the project staff at baseline; this increased significantly to 96.1% at midline (p < 0.001). Disclosure at baseline varied significantly by sociodemographic characteristic (p < 0.05), with higher disclosure in females, among urban residents, and higher educated caregivers. However, the observed disclosure variations by sociodemographic characteristics at baseline disappeared at midline and disclosure reached around 96% across the characteristics (p > 0.05). In the multivariable analysis, caregivers’ likelihood of HIV status disclosure was nearly 6 times higher at midline than at baseline, when baseline characteristics were adjusted for (OR = 5.76, 95% CI 5.59–5.94, p < 0.001). There were 26,329 caregivers who did not disclose their HIV status at baseline (i.e., 0% diclosure rate at baseline), but 94.7% (n = 24,933) had disclosed by midline, and their disclosure trend was rapidly increasing as their duration of exposure to the project increased.

Conclusions

This study detected an increased caregivers’ HIV status disclosure to the USAID Kizazi Kipya project staff by 14.8%, from 81.3% at baseline to 96.1% at midline within an average project exposure period of 1.4 years. The observed loss of sociodemographic differences in HIV status disclosure rate at midline implies that community-based interventions may be well-positioned to successfully address and eliminate sociodemographic barriers to service uptake and consequently improve services coverage and health outcomes.

"It's a secret between us": a qualitative study on children and care-giver experiences of HIV disclosure in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Background

It is estimated that 64,000 children under 15 years of age are living with HIV in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Non-disclosure – in which the child is not informed about their HIV status - is likely to be associated with poor outcomes during adolescence including increased risk of poor adherence and retention, and treatment failure. Disclosing a child’s HIV status to them can be a difficult process for care-givers and children, and in this qualitative study we explored child and care-giver experiences of the process of disclosing, including reasons for delay.

Methods

A total of 22 in-depth interviews with care-givers and 11 in-depth interviews with HIV positive children whom they were caring for were conducted in one health-care facility in the capital city of Kinshasa. Care-givers were purposively sampled to include those who had disclosed to their children and those who had not. Care-givers included biological parents, grandmothers, siblings and community members and 86% of them were female. Interviews were conducted in French and Lingala. All interviews were translated and/or transcribed into French before being manually coded. Thematic analysis was conducted. Verbal informed consent/assent was taken from all interviewees.

Results

At the time of interview, the mean age of children and care-givers was 17 (15–19) and 47 (21–70) years old, respectively. Many care-givers had lost family members due to HIV and several were HIV positive themselves. Reasons for non-disclosure included fear of stigmatisation; wanting to protect the child and not having enough knowledge about HIV or the status of the child to disclose. Several children had multiple care-givers, which also delayed disclosure, as responsibility for the child was shared. In addition, some care-givers were struggling to accept their own HIV status and did not want their child to blame them for their own positive status by disclosing to them.

Conclusions

Child disclosure is a complex process for care-givers, health-care workers and the children themselves. Care-givers may require additional psycho-social support to manage disclosure. Involving multiple care-givers in the care of HIV positive children could offer additional support for disclosure.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-10327-5.

Factors Associated with HIV Status Disclosure to Orphans and Vulnerable Children Living with HIV: Results from a Longitudinal Study in Tanzania

Background

The Tanzanian national guideline for pediatric HIV disclosure recommends beginning disclosure as early as age 4–6 years; full disclosure is recommended at the age of 8–10 years. Despite clear procedures, the disclosure rate in Tanzania remains relatively low. This study assessed the factors associated with HIV status disclosure to orphans and vulnerable children living with HIV (OVCLHIV).

Methods

Data for this analysis come from the USAID-funded Kizazi Kipya program in Tanzania that provides health and social services to OVC and caregivers of HIV-affected households. Data were collected between January 2018 and March 2019. Disclosure status was self-reported by caregivers of children aged 8 years or above. Beneficiary characteristics were included as independent variables. Generalized estimating equations took into account the clustering effect of the study design.

Results

Of the 10673 OVCLHIV, most were females (52.43%), and 80.67% were enrolled in school. More than half (54.89%) were from households in rural areas. Caregivers were mostly females (70.66%), three quarters were between 31 and 60 years old and had a complete primary education (67.15%), and 57.75% were HIV-infected. Most of the OVCLHIV (87.31%) had a disclosed HIV status. Greater OVCLHIV age (p < 0.001), school enrollment (OR = 1.22; 95% CI 1.06, 1.41), urban location of household (OR = 1.64; 95% CI 1.44, 1.86), caregivers' higher education level (p < 0.001), and caregiver HIV-positive status (OR = 1.25; 95% CI 1.09, 1.43) were positively associated with disclosure status. OVCLHIV of female caregivers were 27% less likely to have been disclosed than those of male caregivers.

Conclusion

The disclosure rate among OVCLHIV in this study was high. Disclosure of HIV status is crucial and beneficial for OVCLHIV continuum of care. Caregivers should be supported for the disclosure process through community-based programs and involvement of health volunteers. Policymakers should take into consideration the characteristics of children, their caregivers, and location of households in making disclosure guidelines as adaptable as possible.

The Consequences of Delaying Telling Children with Perinatal HIV About Their Diagnosis as Perceived by Healthcare Workers in the Eastern Cape; A Qualitative Study

Although the benefits of disclosure are considerable, informing children with perinatal HIV of their own HIV status is often delayed to late adolescence. This study examined the social and contextual challenges that influence delaying disclosure to children and assessed the outcomes of delayed disclosure on the psychosocial health of children as perceived by the healthcare workers (HCWs) providing care to these children. Data were collected from HCWs via focus group discussions. Nurses, lay counsellors, social workers, and dieticians were selected from facilities in a rural South African health district. Thematic analysis was performed. The caregivers’ social context was the main barrier against informing children timely about their HIV diagnosis. The extent of the internalised HIV stigma influenced the delay in disclosing to the children. Delaying disclosure contributes to children’s refusing to take their medication, leads to the accidental disclosure of HIV, give rise to anger and resentment towards the caregiver, increase the risk of secondary transmitting of HIV, and poor health outcomes. It is essential to train HCWs to support caregivers and children through the disclosure process to ensure that caregivers realise the benefits of disclosure. Strategies to encourage caregivers to disclose early should be sensitive to their concerns about the negative impacts of disclosure.

Disclosure of human immunodeficiency virus status to children: Pattern followed by parents and caregivers

Background

Disclosure of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status may be perceived as simply the process of revealing a person’s HIV status, whether positive or negative. Despite the emerging evidence of the benefits of disclosure, who, when and what to disclose to a HIV-infected child remains a challenge.

Aim

This article reports on the patterns of HIV status disclosure to the infected children by their parents and caregivers.

Setting

The study was conducted in the outpatient clinic of one referral hospital offering comprehensive HIV care in the Lubombo region, eSwatini.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive design was followed. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews with a purposive sample of 13 parents and caregivers whose children were on antiretroviral treatment and collecting treatment from the specific outpatient clinic. Audio recorded data were transcribed verbatim, thematic content analysis was done and used to organise and present the findings.

Results

Four themes that emerged in relation to the topic of patterns of disclosure were disclosure of HIV status as a process rather than an event, a proposed person to disclose the HIV status to the child, the appropriate age to disclose HIV status to a child and type and amount of information to give in relation to the HIV status. The proposed person to disclose the HIV status to the infected child was the parent or caregiver involved as the primary carer of the child. There was no agreeable appropriate age to disclose HIV status to an infected child and the type and amount of information to disclose varied with the individuals depending on what prompted disclosure.

Conclusion

Human immunodeficiency virus disclosure to children demands parents’ and caregivers’ participation and their knowledge of child development.

Clinic-Based Pediatric Disclosure Intervention Trial Improves Pediatric HIV Status Disclosure in Ghana

BACKGROUND

Disclosing HIV status to HIV-positive children is a major challenge facing families and health care providers. Despite recommendations for disclosure, rates remain low. We tested whether a pediatric HIV disclosure intervention delivered as an integral component of routine HIV health care in Ghana would improve disclosure to children.

METHODS

Dyads of HIV-infected children aged 7-18 years and their caregivers were enrolled from 2 HIV clinics in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana. The sites were randomly assigned to one of the 2 intervention arms to avoid treatment contamination between intervention and control participants. Trained interventionist used theory-guided therapeutic communication and personalized interaction to promote disclosure. Disclosure outcomes were measured at 12-week intervals. All analyses were completed using a modified intention-to-treat approach.

RESULTS

We enrolled 446 child-caregiver dyads (N = 240 intervention group; N = 206 control group); 52% of the children were boys, mean age 9.78 (±2.27) years. For disclosure at 1 year, a better overall treatment effect was observed (P < 0.001). Children in the treatment group had greater disclosure at each time point (P < 0.001) and a higher proportion of them had been disclosed to by 1 year (51.4% vs. 16.2%; P < 0.001; un-adjusted hazard ratio = 3.98: 95% confidence interval: 2.63 to 6.03) and 3 years (71.3% vs. 34.0%; unadjusted hazard ratio = 4.21: 95% confidence interval: 3.09 to 5.72). In the multivariate Cox model, factors associated with disclosure were treatment group (P < 0.001), children <11 years of age (P < 0.001), HIV-infected caregivers (P = 0.015), and caregiver's with greater education (P = 0.022).

CONCLUSIONS

This practical clinic-based disclosure intervention shows excellent promise as a means of improving HIV pediatric disclosure outcomes.

Determinants of undisclosed HIV status to a community-based HIV program: findings from caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children in Tanzania

Background

HIV status disclosure facilitates receipt of HIV prevention and treatment services. Although disclosure to sexual partners, family members or friends has been extensively studied, disclosure to community-based HIV programs is missing. This study assesses the magnitude of, and factors associated with undisclosed HIV status to a community-based HIV prevention program among caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Tanzania.

Methods

Data are from the USAID-funded Kizazi Kipya project that seeks to increase uptake of HIV, health, and social services by OVC and their caregivers in Tanzania. Data on OVC caregivers who were enrolled in the project during January–March 2017 in 18 regions of Tanzania were analyzed. Caregivers included were those who had complete information on their HIV status disclosure, household socioeconomic status, and sociodemographic characteristics. HIV status was self-reported, with undisclosed status representing all those who knew their HIV status but did not disclose it. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression, with caregivers’ HIV status disclosure being the outcome variable was conducted.

Results

The analysis was based on 59,683 OVC caregivers (mean age = 50.4 years), 71.2% of whom were female. Of these, 37.2% did not disclose their HIV status to the USAID Kizazi Kipya program at the time of enrollment. Multivariate analysis showed that the likelihood of HIV status non-disclosure was significantly higher among: male caregivers (odds ratio (OR) = 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16–1.28); unmarried (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.03–1.23); widowed (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.07–1.18); those without health insurance (OR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.28–1.45); age 61 + years (OR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.59–1.88); those with physical or mental disability (OR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.04–1.25); and rural residents (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.34–1.86). HIV status non-disclosure was less likely with higher education (p < 0.001); and with better economic status (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

While improved education, economic strengthening support and expanding health insurance coverage appear to improve HIV status disclosure, greater attention may be required for men, unmarried, widowed, rural residents, and the elderly populations for their higher likelihood to conceal HIV status. This is a clear missed opportunity for timely care and treatment services for those that may be HIV positive. Further support is needed to support disclosure in this population.

HIV Positive Status Disclosure and Its Associated Factors Among Children on Antiretroviral Therapy in West Shoa Zone, Western Ethiopia, 2019: A Mixed Method Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Evidence from previous studies supports the idea that informing children about their HIV status has long-term positive implications in HIV disease management, children's quality of life, and ART drug adherence. However, in sub-Saharan African Countries, the HIV status disclosure among children ranges from 0% to 69.2%. So it is important to investigate the up to date evidence that will help in designing contextualized approaches for disclosure. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the HIV status disclosure and its associated factors among children on ART in West Shoa Zone, Ethiopia.

Materials and Methods

Institutional-based observational study was conducted from February to April 2019. Quantitative data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 247 HIV positive children on ART for the last six months, and the qualitative data were collected from caregivers and health care professionals.

Results

The mean age of the children was 11.11±SD2.8, and 43.6%, (95% CI: 37, 50.9) of the children were fully disclosed. The average age at disclosure was 11±SD2.12. The main reasons for the disclosure were for drug adherence and better self-care while being underage was the commonest reason for non-disclosure. Compared to the age 10-15 years, the child in the age 6-9 was 97% [AOR: 0.027, 95% CI: 0.003, 0.22, P<0.001] less likely to be disclosed. Female children were 2.7 times more likely to be disclosed compared with male children [AOR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.24, 6, P<0.013].

Conclusion

This finding reveals that HIV status disclosure is generally low, and the decision to disclose or not is affected by factors like child-related, caregivers, and health institution-related factors. This may affect the child's drug adherence, treatment outcome, and disease transmission. Updating health care providers' knowledge and skills and working on caregivers' attitude are needed to manage disclosure and challenges following it.

Human immunodeficiency virus positive status disclosure to a sexual partner and its determinant factors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Disclosure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus positive status significantly reduced the transmission of HIV; yet, it remains a challenge for many HIV patients. Disclosure serves plays a crucial role to raise awareness and to reduce risky behaviors. Hence, this study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence and effect sizes of determinant factors of HIV positive status disclosure through a systematic review and meta-analysis of the results of the existing primary studies in Ethiopia.

METHOD

This systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to determine prevalence of HIV positive status disclosure and associated factors by considering and searching published primary articles from different sources. A sensitivity test was conducted to evaluate the presence of influential studies. Besides, the heterogeneity test has been conducted; and publication bias was examined through observing the funnel plot as well as objectively by interpreting the Egger's regression test. Following the Egger's regression test, P-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant at 95% Confidence Interval.

RESULT

A total of 18 primary studies were searched from different data sources. The overall pooled prevalence of HIV positive status disclosure among adult PLWHA in Ethiopia was indicated to be 75.95% (95% CI:69.93-81.98); the highest and lowest pooled estimated HIV status disclosure was in Amhara (82.78%) and Tigray (54.31%) regions respectively. Furthermore, Knowing the HIV positive status of sexual partner, AOR = 19.66(95% CI: 10.19-37.91), having prior discussion about HIV testing with their partner, AOR = 9.18(95% CI: 5.53-15.24), got Human Immunodeficiency Virus pretest counseling service AOR = 4.29(95% CI: 2.56-7.21) and being a member of HIV/AIDS associations, AOR = 3.34(95% CI: 2.17-5.12), were significantly associated with HIV positive status disclosure among People living With HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia.

CONCLUSION

The pooled national estimate of HIV/AIDS positive status disclosure is low as compared to the WHO disclosure rate of developing countries and the findings of other national and international studies. Ministry of health and other stakeholders shall design new approaches and strategies to encourage disclosure of HIV status, educate the public about the negative impact of nondisclosure within family members. Health care providers working at Human HIV test centers shall emphasis extensive counseling on disclosure of status to a partner. Moreover, different stakeholders, health workers and community members shall establish, organize, and support HIV/AIDS Associations and motivate HIV positive people to be engaged and participated.

"What will my child think of me if he hears I gave him HIV?": a sequential, explanatory, mixed-methods approach on the predictors and experience of caregivers on disclosure of HIV status to infected children in Gombe, Northeast Nigeria

Background

With increasing access to effective Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), the proportion of children who survive into later childhood with HIV has increased. Consequently, caregivers are constantly being confronted with the dilemma of ‘if’, ‘when’, and ‘how’ to tell their children living with HIV their status. We aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of disclosure and explore the barriers caregivers face in disclosing HIV status to children living with HIV in Gombe, northeast Nigeria.

Methods

We conducted a sequential, explanatory, mixed-methods study at the specialist Paediatric HIV clinic of the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, northeast Nigeria. The quantitative component was a cross sectional, questionnaire-based study that consecutively recruited 120 eligible primary caregivers of children (6–17 years) living with HIV. The qualitative component adopted an in-depth one-on-one interview approach with 17 primary caregivers. Primary caregivers were purposively selected to include views of those who had made disclosure and those who have not done so to gain an enhanced understanding of the quantitative findings. We examined the predictors of HIV status disclosure to infected children using binary logistic regression. The qualitative data was analysed using a combined deductive and inductive thematic analysis approach.

Results

The mean age of the index child living with HIV was 12.2 ± 3.2 years. The prevalence of disclosure to children living with HIV was 35.8%. Children living with HIV were 10 times more likely to have been told their status if their caregivers believed that disclosure had benefits [AOR = 9.9 (95% CI = 3.2–15.1)], while HIV-negative compared to HIV-positive caregivers were twice more likely to make disclosures [AOR = 1.8 (95%CI = 0.7–4.9)]. Girls were 1.45 times more likely than boys to have been disclosed their HIV positive status even after adjusting for other variables [AOR = 1.45 (95% CI = 0.6–3.5)].

Caregivers expressed deep-seated feeling of guilt and self-blame, HIV-related stigma, cultural sensitivity around HIV, and fears that the child might not cope as barriers to non-disclosure. These feeling were more prominent among HIV-positive caregivers.

Conclusion

The process of disclosure is a complex one and caregivers of HIV positive children should be supported emotionally and psychologically to facilitate disclosure of HIV status to their children. This study further emphasises the need to address HIV-related stigma in resource constrained settings.

HIV positive status disclosure and associated factor among HIV infected children in pediatric ART clinics in Gondar town public health facilities, North West Ethiopia, 2018

BACKGROUND

Due to the increasing availability of antiretroviral treatment, HIV infected children are living longer which points out the necessity of disclosure. And which is important to support the uptake and adherence to treatment. Disclosure is an important measure to prevent secondary transmission when children are sexually active.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HIV positive status disclosure and associated factors among human immune virus-infected children in pediatric antiretroviral treatment clinics in Gondar town public health facilities.

METHOD

An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among 449 primary caregivers of children aged 6-15years in regular follow-up at pediatric ART clinics in Gondar town public health facilities between March 3, 2018, to April 25, 2018. All subjects in the study area were included in the study. Data was collected in 5 pediatric ART clinics in Gondar town by structured questionnaires through face to face interview and supplemented by chart review to obtain some clinical factors. The variables which have an association with disclosure were identified on the basis of AOR, with 95%CI and p-value <0. 05. Model fitness was checked using Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness of fit test.

RESULT

Out of 449 participants, 418 were interviewed with response rate of 93%. The prevalence of HIV positive status disclosure found to be 44%. Age of child >10years [AOR=5.88, (95% CI: 3.52, 9.81)], duration on ART [AOR=2.67 (95% CI: 1.59, 4.51)], place of follow-up [AOR=2.23 (95% CI: 1.27, 5.01)] and educational status of caregiver [AOR=3.00 (95% CI: 1.62, 5.56)] were identified variables.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of disclosure found to be low. Therefore appropriate measure should be taken to promote disclosure.

Courage and confidence to stop lying: caregiver perspectives on a video to support paediatric HIV disclosure in Kampala, Uganda

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that HIV-positive children are told their diagnosis by age 12 years. However, most perinatally-infected children reach adolescence without being told their HIV status. Effective strategies are needed to promote disclosure, and optimise children's health outcomes as they transition to adolescence and adulthood. This qualitative study explored how caregivers of HIV-positive children aged 7-12 years perceived and related to a video used as part of a larger behavioural intervention to promote full disclosure to children by age 12 years. Eight semi-structured interviews and 3 group reflection sessions with 28 caregivers were analysed thematically. Five themes were generated: courage and confidence; reasoning and empathy; child- caregiver relationship; foreign but relatable; and not reaching everyone. The video was found acceptable and appropriate for fostering readiness to disclose. Through watching it, participants reported they could see people similar to themselves prevail despite challenges, which gave them courage.

Sero-status of preschoolers and disclosure to schools

Infants with HIV-infection have longevity due to improved Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), making many realise their developmental progression which includes access to schooling. However, there is scant information that focuses on disclosure of their positive sero-status to schools and how these children understand and communicate their illnesses. This paper reports on a study of experiences of children affected by HIV and AIDS in Kenya. Qualitative phenomenological data from children aged between 5 and 7 years and their teachers in Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) centres were collected using multiple methods. Thematic content analysis was utilised with several themes emerging from findings. Obstacles to disclosure, anticipation of exceptional care, accidental disclosures, lack of psychosocial structures, a need for specialised skills training for teachers, and lack of clear guidelines to assist in disclosure processes emerged as some of the challenges faced. The findings also provide insights into teachers' scaffolding efforts to educate children in understanding and communicating their illnesses, and forging support structures through relationships with their siblings and peers for care and management.

Communication with children and adolescents about the diagnosis of their own life-threatening condition

When a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, one of the most challenging tasks facing health-care professionals is how to communicate this to the child, and to their parents or caregivers. Evidence-based guidelines are urgently needed for all health-care settings, from tertiary referral centres in high-income countries to resource limited environments in low-income and middle-income countries, where rates of child mortality are high. We place this Review in the context of children's developing understanding of illness and death. We review the effect of communication on children's emotional, behavioural, and social functioning, as well as treatment adherence, disease progression, and wider family relationships. We consider the factors that influence the process of communication and the preferences of children, families, and health-care professionals about how to convey the diagnosis. Critically, the barriers and challenges to effective communication are explored. Finally, we outline principles for communicating with children, parents, and caregivers, generated from a workshop of international experts.

A Phenomenological Account of HIV Disclosure Experiences of Children and Adolescents from Northern and Southern Ghana

Disclosure of HIV status to infected children, though challenged by caregiver dilemma, remains central in achieving the United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) global goal of 90/90/90. This study explores children’s HIV disclosure experiences across Northern and Southern Ghana. A qualitative interpretative phenomenological design facilitated the recruitment of 30 HIV positive disclosed children and adolescents aged 9–19 years in 12 antiretroviral treatment (ART) centers in Northern and Southern Ghana between January 2017 and June 2018. Data was collected via in-depth interviews. We used phenomenological analysis applying concepts and categories identification, patterns and interconnections searching, mapping, theme building and constant comparative technique to draw conclusions. Disclosure of HIV status to children occurred with little or no preparation. Caregivers intentionally or out of dilemma often prolonged or postponed disclosure to when children aged older. Illness severity and disease progression principally defined the need for disclosure. Children preference for early status disclosure averaged at age 10 was demonstrated despite the initial disclosure experience of shock and disappointment. There was improved medication adherence despite the challenge of limited knowledge about HIV transmission, financial difficulty and food insecurity. Context and culturally adapted pre- and post- disclosure guideline laced with social protection package is needed to support HIV positive children.

Socio-demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with primary caregivers' decisions regarding HIV disclosure to their child aged between 6 and 12 years living with HIV in Malawi

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that children living with HIV should be informed about their HIV status within the ages of 6 to 12 years using age-appropriate resources. The aim of this study was to assess the socio-demographic, clinical and psychosocial factors associated with primary caregivers’ decisions to disclose HIV to children living with HIV aged 6 to 12 years in Malawi. A cross-sectional study of 429 primary caregivers of children living with HIV were systematically recruited from all regions of the country. Information on HIV disclosure, family and child socio-demographic characteristics, child clinical characteristics, and child and family psychosocial characteristics was collected using validated instruments. Logistic regression was used to analyse data. The prevalence of non-disclosure of HIV status to children was 64 per cent. Concerns about the child’s inability to cope with the news (29%), a lack of knowledge on how to disclose HIV status (19%), and fear of stigma and discrimination (17%) were the main reasons for non-disclosure. On multivariate analysis, the odds of non-disclosure were higher among primary caregivers who were farmers (aOR 3.0; 95% CI: 1.1–8.4), in younger children (6–8 years) (aOR 4.1; 95% CI: 2.3–7.4), in children who were in WHO HIV clinical stage one (aOR 3.8; 95% CI: 1.4–10.2), and in children who were not asking why they were taking ARVs (aOR 2.9; 95% CI: 1.8–4.8). On the other hand, nondisclosure of HIV status was less likely in underweight children (aOR 0.6; 95% CI: 0.3–0.9). Many children living with HIV in Malawi are unaware of their HIV status. Non-disclosure is associated with a number of clinical and demographic characteristics. The findings highlight the need to provide guidance and support to primary caregivers to help them to effectively disclose HIV status to their children.

Pattern of paediatric HIV status disclosure in coastal Karnataka

Background & objectives:

Karnataka is a high HIV prevalent State in India. Although benefits have been shown by disclosing the HIV status to the child, information regarding HIV status disclosure in Karnataka is limited. Hence, this study was conducted to estimate the proportion of children who had been disclosed of their HIV status and its pattern among those who visited the district antiretroviral therapy (ART) centre in coastal Karnataka.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in an ART centre in a district hospital in coastal Karnataka between October 2014 and July 2015. Caregivers of paediatric HIV patients were approached and willing participants were administered a pre-formed, pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire developed for the study.

Results:

A total of 185 caregivers of the HIV-positive children were interviewed. Mean age of the children was 11±4 years. Only 107 (57.8%) children were aware of their HIV status. Of these, 95 were disclosed fully. Counsellors in rehabilitation centres were the most probable person to disclose and planned events. Children were told of their HIV status for their knowledge and were more likely to be disclosed if they were around 11-15 yr of age and staying in rehabilitation centres.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Older children were more likely to be disclosed of their HIV status by counsellors. Steps need to be taken to counsel and encourage caregivers to fully disclose the HIV status to the children at least when they attain the age more than 11 years.

HIV serostatus disclosure in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a systematic review

HIV status disclosure among people living with HIV/AIDS has been shown to have a number of both personal and public health benefits, but rates of HIV status disclosure remain low in many African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This systematic review uses the Disclosure Process Model to examine the factors involved in serostatus disclosure and nondisclosure to various persons in the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the DRC, as well as the specific outcomes of their disclosure or nondisclosure. MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Global Health, and PsycINFO were searched and research studies were included if: (i) the study discussed disclosure of HIV status; (ii) the study population included HIV-infected people in DRC; and (iii) the study was published in English. Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Factors contributing to nondisclosure were generally associated with high stigma of HIV in adults and concern for emotional wellbeing when disclosing to HIV positive minors. Factors contributing to disclosure among adults were increased social support and religion. In disclosing to HIV positive minors, increasing age and health benefits were identified as approach goals that supported disclosure. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the avoidance and approach goals involved in HIV status disclosure among populations living in the DRC. Interventions and future research directed at increasing HIV disclosure among Congolese PLWHA should move beyond individual-level to consider multilevel factors including circumstantial social behaviors.

Primary caregivers, healthcare workers, teachers and community leaders' perceptions and experiences of their involvement, practice and challenges of disclosure of HIV status to children living with HIV in Malawi: a qualitative study

Background

The World Health Organisation has recommended that healthcare workers, teachers and community leaders work with parents to support children living with HIV. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions and experiences of primary caregivers and other care providers such as healthcare workers, teachers, and community leaders regarding their involvement, practice and challenges of HIV disclosure to children aged between 6 and 12 years living with HIV in Malawi.

Methods

Twelve focus group discussions and 19 one-on-one interviews involving a total of 106 participants were conducted in all three administrative regions of Malawi. The interviews and focus group discussions explored perceptions and experiences regarding involvement, practice and challenges of disclosure of HIV status to children. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Primary caregivers, healthcare workers, teachers, and community leaders all reported that the disclosure of HIV status to children was not well coordinated because each of the groups of participants was working in isolation instead of working as a team. A “working together” model emerged from the data analysis where participants expressed the need for them to work as a team in order to promote safe and effective HIV status disclosure through talking about HIV, sharing responsibility and open communication. Participants reported that by working together, the team members would ensure that the prevalence of HIV disclosure to young children increases and that there would be a reduction in any negative impact of disclosure.

Conclusion

Global resources are required to better support children living with HIV and their families. Healthcare workers and teachers would benefit greatly from training in working together with families living with HIV and, specifically, training in the disclosure process. Resources, in the form of books and other educational materials, would help them explain HIV and its effective management to children and families.

Healthcare workers' perspectives and practices regarding the disclosure of HIV status to children in Malawi: a cross-sectional study

Background

In 2011 the World Health Organisation recommended that children with a diagnosis of HIV be gradually informed about their HIV status between the ages of 6 and 12 years. However, to date, literature has focused mainly on primary caregiver and child experiences with HIV disclosure, little is known about healthcare workers’ perspectives and practices of HIV status disclosure to children. The aim of this study was to assess healthcare workers’ perspectives and practices regarding the disclosure of HIV status to children aged between 6 and 12 years in Malawi.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from 168 healthcare providers working in antiretroviral clinics in all government District and Tertiary Hospitals in Malawi. Participants were asked questions regarding their knowledge, practice, and barriers to HIV disclosure. Data were analysed using binary logistic regression.

Results

Almost all healthcare workers (98%) reported that it was important to disclose HIV status to children. A significant proportion (37%) reported that they had never disclosed HIV status to a child and about half estimated that the rate of HIV disclosure at their facility was 25% or less. The main barriers to disclosure were lack of training on disclosure (85%) and lack of a standard tool for disclosure (84%). Female healthcare workers (aOR) 2.4; 95% CI: 1.1–5.5) and lack of training on disclosure (aOR 7.7; 95% CI: 3.4–10.7) were independently associated with never having disclosed HIV status to a child.

Conclusions

This study highlights the need for providing appropriate training in HIV disclosure for healthcare workers and the provision of standardised disclosure materials.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-018-3354-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

HIV knowledge, stigma, and illness beliefs among pediatric caregivers in Ghana who have not disclosed their child's HIV status

The majority of HIV-infected children in sub-Saharan Africa have not been informed of their HIV status. Caregivers are reluctant to disclose HIV status to their children because of concern about the child’s ability to understand, parental sense of guilt, and fear of social rejection and isolation. We hypothesized that the low prevalence of pediatric HIV disclosure in Ghana is due to lack of accurate HIV information and high HIV stigma among caregivers. This is a preliminary analysis of baseline data of an HIV pediatric disclosure intervention study in Ghana (“Sankofa”). “Sankofa” – is a two-arm randomized controlled clinical trial comparing disclosure intervention plus usual care (intervention arm) vs usual care (control arm) at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH; control arm) and Komfo-Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH; intervention arm). We enrolled HIV-infected children, ages 7–18 years who do not know their HIV status, and their caregivers. Baseline data of caregivers included demographic characteristics; Brief HIV Knowledge Questionnaire (HIV-KQ-18); Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire; and HIV Stigma Scale. Simple and multivariable linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between caregiver characteristics and HIV knowledge, stigma, and illness perception. Two hundred and ninety-eight caregivers were enrolled between January 2013 and July 2014 at the two study sites; KBTH (n = 167) and KATH (n = 131). The median age of caregivers was 41 years; 80.5% of them were female and about 60% of caregivers were HIV-positive. Seventy-eight percent of caregivers were self-employed with low household income. In both unadjusted and adjusted analyses, HIV negative status and lower level of education were associated with poor scores on HIV-KQ. HIV positive status remained significant for higher level of stigma in the adjusted analyses. None of the caregiver’s characteristics predicted caregiver’s illness perception. Intensification of HIV education in schools and targeted community campaigns are needed.

Adolescents' Experiences and Their Suggestions for HIV Serostatus Disclosure in Zambia: A Mixed-Methods Study

Background

HIV serostatus disclosure is an immense challenge for adolescents living with HIV, their caregivers, and health workers. In Zambia, however, little guidance is available from the adolescents’ point of view on the HIV disclosure process.

Objective

This study aimed to examine the setting of HIV serostatus disclosure for adolescents, its impacts on them, and their suggestions on the best practice of HIV disclosure.

Methods

We conducted a mixed-methods study at the University Teaching Hospital in Zambia from April to July 2014. We recruited 200 adolescents living with HIV, aged 15–19 years. We collected data using a structured questionnaire including two open-ended questions. We excluded two adolescents due to withdrawal during the survey, and eight from the data set due to out-of-eligibility criteria in age. Eventually, we included 190 in the analysis. We performed descriptive analysis to calculate the distributions of basic characteristics of the adolescents, their experience and preference on HIV serostatus disclosure, its emotional and behavioral impacts, and health education topics they had ever learned at hospital. We performed thematic analysis with open-ended data to explain first impressions upon disclosure in detail and to determine perceived advantages of HIV serostatus disclosure.

Results

The majority of adolescents recommended the age of 12 as appropriate for adolescents to learn about their HIV serostatus and preferred disclosure by both parents. Out of 190 adolescents, 73.2% had negative or mixed feelings about HIV serostatus disclosure, while 86.2% reported that disclosure was beneficial. Thematic analyses showed that the adolescents reacted emotionally due to an unexpected disclosure and a belief of imminent death from HIV. However, they improved adherence to treatment (84.7%), limited self-disclosure of their HIV serostatus to others (81.1%), and felt more comfortable in talking about HIV with their caregivers (54.2%). Thematic analysis identified perceived benefits of disclosure as follows: better understanding of their sickness and treatment, and improved self-care and treatment adherence. Lower percentage of the adolescents have learned about psychosocial well-being, compared to facts about HIV and treatment.

Conclusion

Despite initial emotional distress experienced after the disclosure, knowing one’s own HIV serostatus was found to be a crucial turning point for adolescents to improve motivation for self-care. HIV serostatus disclosure to adolescents requires follow-up support involving parents/primary caregivers, health workers, and peers.

The intersection of antiretroviral therapy, peer support programmes, and economic empowerment with HIV stigma among HIV-positive women in West Nile Uganda

HIV stigma remains a major problem of the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Women fear impending social stigma including blame, isolation and abuse. HIV infection and HIV stigma interact cyclically, creating and reinforcing economic and social exclusion for individuals living with HIV. Evidence suggests that interventions for people living with HIV infection that include, in combination, antiretroviral therapy (ART), peer support and economic empowerment are likely to be more effective than if used alone. We report a qualitative study in West Nile Uganda that explored perceptions of HIV stigma among fifty-four HIV-positive women who had similar access to ART and HIV peer support programmes, but varying levels of participation (full-time, intermittent, none) in economic empowerment programmes. Our study found that access to ART, peer support groups, and economic empowerment programmes helped to curb perceptions of deep-seated HIV stigma for participants. More expressions of usefulness, hope and psychological well-being prevailed with participants who had increased participation in economic empowerment programmes. Our findings underscore the value of HIV outreach programmes which combine ART, peer support and economic empowerment to alleviate HIV stigma. Further research to quantify the interaction of these factors is warranted.

Talking to children about their HIV status: a review of available resources, tools, and models for improving and promoting pediatric disclosure

As children living with HIV (CLHIV) grow into adolescence and adulthood, caregivers and healthcare providers are faced with the sensitive challenge of when to disclose to a CLHIV his or her HIV status. Despite WHO recommendations for CLHIV to know their status, in countries most affected by HIV, effective resources are often limited, and national guidance on disclosure is often lacking. To address the need for effective resources, gray and scientific literature was searched to identify existing tools and resources that can aid in the disclosure process. From peer-reviewed literature, seven disclosure models from six different countries were identified. From the gray literature, 23 resources were identified including children's books (15), job aides to assist healthcare providers (5), and videos (3). While these existing resources can be tailored to reflect local norms and used to aid in the disclosure process, careful consideration must be taken in order to avoid damaging disclosure practices.

Perspectives and Practice of HIV Disclosure to Children and Adolescents by Health-Care Providers and Caregivers in sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the highest prevalence of HIV globally, and this is due to persistent new HIV infections and decline in HIV/AIDS-related mortality from improved access to antiretroviral (ART) therapy. There is a limited body of work on perspectives of health-care providers (HCPs) concerning disclosing outcomes of HIV investigations to children and adolescents in SSA. Most studies are country-specific, indicating a need for a regional scope.

OBJECTIVE

To review the current literature on the perspectives of HCPs and caregivers of children and adolescents on age group-specific and culture-sensitive HIV disclosure practice.

METHODS

Electronic database search in PubMed, Google scholar, and the University of South Florida Library Discovery Tool (January 2006 up to February 2016). Further internet search was conducted using the journal author name estimator search engine and extracting bibliographies of relevant articles. Search terms included "disclosure*," "HIV guidelines," "sub-Saharan Africa," "clinical staff," "ART," "antiretroviral adherence," "people living with HIV," "pediatric HIV," "HIV," "AIDS," "health care provider," (HCP), "caregiver," "adolescent," "primary care physicians," "nurses," and "patients." Only studies related to HIV/AIDS disclosure, HCPs, and caregivers that clearly described perspectives and interactions during disclosure of HIV/AIDS sero-status to affected children and adolescents were included. Independent extraction of articles was conducted by reviewers using predefined criteria. Nineteen articles met inclusion criteria. Most studies were convenience samples consisting of combinations of children, adolescents, HCPs, and caregivers. Key findings were categorized into disclosure types, prevalence, facilitators, timing, process, persons best to disclose, disclosure setting, barriers, and outcomes of disclosure.

CONCLUSION

Partial disclosure is appropriate for children in SSA up to early adolescence. Caregivers should be directly involved in disclosing to children but they require adequate disclosure support from HCPs. Full disclosure is suitable for adolescents. Adolescents prefer disclosure by HCPs and they favor peer-group support from committed peers and trained facilitators, to reduce stigma. HCPs need continuous training and adequate resources to disclose in a patient-centered manner.

Issues around childhood disclosure of HIV status - findings from a qualitative study in West Bengal, India

INTRODUCTION

Informing the children living with HIV (CLH) about their disease (disclosure) is important from the perspective of disease treatment and overall psychosocial development. There are no published studies that qualitatively explored HIV disclosure-related issues among CLH in India. Our aim was to provide insights into the perceptions of informal caregivers of CLH regarding childhood disclosure.

METHODS

Children were defined as those aged <16 years. In-depth interviews were conducted with 34 primary caregivers of CLH aged 8 to 15 years old who were residing in West Bengal, India. The participants were recruited with the help of a community-based organization that provides need-based services to people living with HIV.

RESULTS

We obtained caregivers' perspectives on the motivators and barriers of childhood disclosure. Health benefits such as medication adherence emerged as an important motivator, while distress caused by disclosure and potential for stigma were identified as barriers. Health care providers were the preferred disclosers for most caregivers, followed by the caregivers themselves. Some caregivers wanted their child to learn about his/her HIV status by him/herself. There was no consensus among the caregivers about the ideal age for disclosure. Many preferred to wait until the child attained maturity or was of marriageable age.

DISCUSSION

Disclosure of HIV status to children is an emotional issue, both for the caregiver and the child. Like most low-or middle-income countries, no standardized, age-appropriate disclosure guidelines exist in India. Our findings advocate adoption of a multi-faceted approach, including increased availability of social and familial support, for childhood HIV disclosure.

Parental concerns on disclosure of HIV status to children living with HIV: children's perspective

Disclosure is an important component of comprehensive management of children living with HIV infection (CLHIV). Many parental concerns are barriers for disclosure in children and only few studies addresses children's perspective on these concerns. Our study aims to understand children's perspective on parental concerns for disclosure and assess the knowledge of HIV. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study involving CLHIV between 10 and 18 years attending HIV clinic in southern India, was conducted. Data were collected by directly interviewing only the children after obtaining consent from parents/caregivers. Initial open-ended questions were asked to assess the disclosure status and only fully disclosed children were included. Out of 362 enrolled eligible children, the prevalence of full and partial disclosure was 36.7% and 24%, respectively. The mean age of disclosure was 10.4 years (SD ± 2.6) and non-parental family members in an informal setting were the most common source of disclosure (38.3%). Forty-six percentages of parents were unaware of their child's disclosure status. Only 2% had disclosed their status to others who were not part of their care. Among disclosed children, 33.8% became upset or sad upon knowing their status, 12% faced discrimination and 41.4% had complete knowledge about their illness. Though the prevalence of disclosure among CLHIV was high, a majority of them had incomplete knowledge about HIV infection. The parental concerns as reported in literature like the child is too young to disclose, concerns about coping, fear of stigma and discrimination and child disclosing to others were not expressed by children.

A model for HIV disclosure of a parent's and/or a child's illness

HIV prevalence in Kenya remains steady at 5.6% for adults 15 years and older, and 0.9% among children aged below 14 years. Parents and children are known to practice unprotected sex, which has implications for continued HIV spread within the country. Additionally, due to increased accessibility of antiretroviral therapy, more HIV-positive persons are living longer. Therefore, the need for HIV disclosure of a parent's and/or a child's HIV status within the country will continue for years to come. We conducted a qualitative phenomenological study to understand the entire process of disclosure from the time of initial HIV diagnosis of an index person within an HIV-affected family, to the time of full disclosure of a parent's and/or a child's HIV status to one or more HIV-positive, negative, or untested children within these households. Participants were purposively selected and included 16 HIV-positive parents, seven HIV-positive children, six healthcare professionals (physician, clinical officer, psychologist, registered nurse, social worker, and a peer educator), and five HIV-negative children. All participants underwent an in-depth individualized semistructured interview that was digitally recorded. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed in NVivo 8 using the modified Van Kaam method. Six themes emerged from the data indicating that factors such as HIV testing, living with HIV, evolution of disclosure, questions, emotions, benefits, and consequences of disclosure interact with each other and either impede or facilitate the HIV disclosure process. Kenya currently does not have guidelines for HIV disclosure of a parent's and/or a child's HIV status. HIV disclosure is a process that may result in poor outcomes in both parents and children. Therefore, understanding how these factors affect the disclosure process is key to achieving optimal disclosure outcomes in both parents and children. To this end, we propose an HIV disclosure model incorporating these six themes that is geared at helping healthcare professionals provide routine, clinic-based, targeted, disclosure-related counseling/advice and services to HIV-positive parents and their HIV-positive, HIV-negative, and untested children during the HIV disclosure process. The model should help improve HIV disclosure levels within HIV-affected households. Future researchers should test the utility and viability of our HIV disclosure model in different settings and cultures.

Tensions in Communication between Children on Antiretroviral Therapy and Their Caregivers: A Qualitative Study in Jinja District, Uganda

Introduction

HIV treatment and disclosure guidelines emphasize the importance of communicating diagnosis and treatment to infected children in ways that are appropriate to children’s developmental stage and age. Minimal attention, however, has been given to communication challenges confronted by HIV-infected children and their caregivers. This study examined the tensions between children and their caregivers arising from differing perspectives regarding when and what to communicate about antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Methods

This qualitative study was conducted between November 2011 and December 2012 and involved 29 HIV-infected children aged 8–17 years on ART and their caregivers. Data were collected through observations and in-depth interviews, which took place in homes, treatment centres and post-test clubs. Children and caregivers were sampled from among the 394 HIV-infected children and (their) 393 caregivers who participated in the cross-sectional survey that preceded the qualitative study. ATLAS.ti. Version 7 was used in the management of the qualitative data and in the coding of the emerging themes. The data were then analyzed using content thematic analysis.

Results

While the children felt that they were mature enough to know what they were suffering and what the medications were for, the caregivers wanted to delay discussions relating to the children’s HIV diagnosis and medication until they felt that the children were mature enough to deal with the information and keep it a secret and this caused a lot of tension. The children employed different tactics including refusing to take the medicines, to find out what they were suffering from and what the medications were for. Children also had their own ideas about when, where and with whom to discuss their HIV condition, ideas that did not necessarily coincide with those of their caregivers, resulting in tensions.

Conclusions

Guidelines should take into consideration differing perceptions of maturity when recommending ages at which caregivers should communicate with their children about diagnosis and ART. Health care providers should also encourage caregivers to recognize and respect children’s efforts to learn about and manage their condition. Children’s questions and expressions of feelings should be treated as openings for communication on these issues.

Prevalence and Correlates of HIV Disclosure Among Children and Adolescents in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Disclosure of HIV status among children and adolescents living with HIV has both beneficial and challenging aspects. To address existing knowledge gaps and update the literature on childhood disclosure, we conducted a systematic review on caregivers' perceptions and practices of HIV disclosure in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS

Standard databases were searched for studies conducted in LMICs, published in English between 2004 and 2015. Excluded articles were reviews or case reports, and those not reporting childhood disclosure. Data regarding prevalence, correlates and impact of disclosure, were presented as frequencies.

RESULTS

Two authors independently screened 982 articles. After applying eligibility criteria, 22 articles representing 12 countries and 2,843 children were reviewed. The proportion of fully disclosed children ranged from 1.7% to 41.0%. Up to 49.5% children were provided "deflected" information (use of a non-HIV-related reason for explaining illness and health care visits). Factors associated with full disclosure included antiretroviral treatment initiation and caregivers' felt need for maintaining optimal adherence. Barriers to disclosure included fear of negative psychological reactions and inadvertent disclosure to others. Caregivers perceived a strong need for active participation from health care providers to aid the process of disclosure.

CONCLUSIONS

Full disclosure of HIV status was not common among children and adolescents in LMICs, while the practice of deflected disclosure was prominent. Caregivers perceived the need for support from health care providers during the disclosure process. Evidence-based guidelines incorporating the developmental status of the child, locally prevalent cultures, and caregiver perceptions are prerequisite to enhancing disclosure in these settings.

Benefits of Disclosure of HIV Status to Infected Children and Adolescents: Perceptions of Caregivers and Health Care Providers

The rate of disclosure of HIV status to infected children and adolescents remains low in developing countries. We used a mixed-method approach to determine the perceptions of caregivers and health care providers about the benefits of HIV status disclosure to infected children and adolescents and to assess the support needed by caregivers during disclosure. We recruited a convenience sample of 118 caregivers of HIV-infected children and adolescents for the quantitative component of the study and completed in-depth qualitative interviews with 10 purposefully sampled key informants, including health care providers and volunteer workers. The main benefits of disclosure included improved medication adherence and healthier, more responsible adolescent sexual behavior. The main supports required by caregivers during disclosure included biomedical information, emotional and psychological support, and practical guidelines regarding disclosure. We confirmed the importance of disclosure to HIV-infected children and adolescents and the need to develop culturally specific disclosure guidelines.

'Are we allowed to disclose?': a healthcare team's experiences of talking with children and adolescents about their HIV status

BACKGROUND

Talking with a child about their HIV status is a complex, emotionally laden and difficult task for caregivers and healthcare providers. Disclosure is an important process which may have psychosocial and health benefits. Despite existing guidelines and materials, disclosure does not always happen for various reasons.

OBJECTIVE

This qualitative study explored a healthcare team's perspectives and experiences about disclosure practices.

METHODS

Three focus groups were conducted with a total of 23 healthcare providers at a paediatric clinic in South Africa. The data were analysed using principles of thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Results confirm the complexity of the disclosure process and highlight confusion, hesitancy and ethical dilemmas regarding disclosure practices. Tensions were noted within the team which seem linked to professional hierarchies. Counsellors and nurses preferred an indirect approach of encouraging caregivers to disclose to their children and providing psychosocial support, while doctors tended to become more directly involved in disclosing to children out of a sense of duty, legal responsibilities and knowledge of the child's rights.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates how the complexities of disclosure with children and adolescents bring about additional challenges for healthcare teams. The legal and ethical implications as well as the roles and responsibilities of healthcare providers with disclosure remain unclear. Several recommendations for practice and policy emerge from this study, related particularly to the need for clarification of disclosure guidelines and legal implications. Implications for the healthcare team are also discussed.

A model of caregiver paediatric HIV disclosure decision-making

Many of the over 3 million HIV-positive children will only be told of their status as adolescents. Knowing one's status may increase treatment adherence, reduce onward HIV transmission, increase trust in caregivers and maximise available support. Yet deciding whether, what, how and when to tell HIV-positive children about their condition is challenging for caregivers. We systematically review HIV disclosure theories before presenting a process model of caregiver paediatric HIV disclosure decision-making. The model, consisting of both a pre-intention and a post-intention stage, integrates individual and contextual determinants. It aims to be situationally specific, broadly applicable and consistent with the empirical literature. Research and practice implications are discussed.

Factors affecting disclosure of serostatus to children attending Jinja Hospital Paediatric HIV clinic, Uganda

BACKGROUND

Disclosure of HIV status is important for optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy in children. Identifying factors that affect disclosure of sero-status to children will help improve the process of disclosure. The purpose of the study was to determine the rate of HIV disclosure by the parents/caretakers to their children and other factors affecting disclosure.

METHODS

A cross sectional study among 174 caretakers of children age 5-8 years, twenty children and all (ten) health workers at Jinja Hospital paediatric HIV clinic. Data was collected with standardized questionnaires on socio-demographic factors, disclosure status, health facility factors, fears and perceived benefits of disclosure.

RESULTS

We found disclosure rates in 56% of the children. Among those not disclosed to, non-disclosure was 19% and deception 25%. Factors associated with disclosure of sero-status to a child were age of child (X2 37.4 df 1 p< 0.001), child being on antiretroviral therapy (OR 2.0 CI 1.1-3.6 p=0.024) and child attending psychosocial support group (OR 7.4 CI 3.6-15.3 p < 0.001). There were no appropriate guidelines on disclosure and only half of health providers had training on disclosure of HIV serostatus to children.

CONCLUSION

The overall prevalence of disclosure was low. Psychosocial support groups promoted disclosure.

National Institutes of Health investment in studies of HIV disclosure to children

The goals of this manuscript will be to review current and past National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding on maternal and child HIV disclosure research and lay out current research gaps in these areas. Examples of work funded by NIH will highlight how the disclosure needs of families affected by HIV have changed over the past 30 years as well as highlight what we have learned. The review will include the recent NICHD RFA that focused specifically on disclosure of HIV status to children in low and middle-income country settings. A brief description of findings from these NIH-funded grants will be provided. The authors will then describe current research gaps and challenges as they relate to research on HIV disclosure both in the U.S. and internationally.

How disclosure and antiretroviral therapy help HIV-infected adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa cope with stigma

HIV-related stigma has a major impact on the health and psychosocial wellbeing of HIV-infected children and youths. While there is some debate about the extent to which improved access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) contributes to a reduction in HIV stigma, we know little about how adolescents who know their HIV status and who are enrolled in ART experience and cope with stigma. The aim of the research was to understand and identify the pathways between HIV-status disclosure, ART, and children's psychosocial wellbeing, including from the perspective of adolescents themselves. Two qualitative studies were carried out, in Botswana and Tanzania, in 2011: 16 adolescents and three healthcare workers were enrolled in Botswana, and 12 adolescents and two healthcare workers were enrolled in Tanzania. The data were collected through individual and group interviews as well as participant observation. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic network analysis. The findings indicate that HIV-status disclosure enabled adolescents to engage effectively with their ART treatment and support groups, which in turn provided them with a sense of confidence and control over their lives. Although the adolescents in the two studies were still experiencing stigma from peers and community members, most did not internalise these experiences in a negative way, but retained hope for the future and felt pity for those untested and uninformed of their own HIV status. We conclude that disclosure and good HIV-related services provide an important platform for HIV-infected adolescents to resist and cope with HIV stigma.

Health care workers' perspectives about disclosure to HIV-infected children; cross-sectional survey of health facilities in Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces, South Africa

The perspectives and practices of health care workers (HCWs) regarding disclosure to HIV-infected children have not been adequately investigated ten years after the roll-out of pediatrics antiretroviral therapy (ART). The aim of the study was to examine the opinions of HCWs about disclosure to HIV-infected children and determine their role in disclosure to children accessing ART in health centers in South Africa. This was a cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire among HCWs in ART centers at three hospitals and 48 primary health facilities in two provinces in South Africa. Of the 206 HCWs, 140 (68.2%) were nurses, 44 (21.5%) were lay counsellors, and 4 (2%) were doctors. The majority (n = 183, 89.3%) felt that disclosure benefits children and they should be told about their HIV status. Over half (n = 93, 51.4%) recommended 11–18 years as the appropriate age to disclose. Half (n = 99, 48.5%) said that caregivers should take the lead to disclose, 87 (42.7%) said that disclosure is a shared responsibility of caregivers and HCWs, and 18 (8.8%) said HCWs should lead disclosure. HCWs perceived their role as that of preparing the caregiver for disclosure and the child to understand the disease. However, the lack of guidelines and training on disclosure counselling for children affects their ability to fully participate in disclosure to children. There is a need to adopt the World Health Organizations’ disclosure guidelines for children and adapt them to the local cultural and community contexts and train HCWs to guide, support, and assist caregivers in their disclosure to HIV-infected children.

"If I take my medicine, I will be strong: " evaluation of a pediatric HIV disclosure intervention in Namibia

BACKGROUND

Despite known benefits, only a small proportion of HIV-infected children in sub-Saharan Africa know their status and limited disclosure interventions exist. Namibia's Ministry of Health and Social Services developed and implemented a multipronged intervention to support health care workers (HCWs) and caregivers in the disclosure process.

METHODS

The intervention included a staged disclosure cartoon book, child and caregiver readiness assessment tools, a monitoring form to track progress over visits, and HCW training curriculum. We conducted qualitative interviews with 35 HCWs and 46 caregivers of HIV-positive children at 4 high volume HIV clinics. Interviews elicited detailed information about intervention uptake and impact. HCWs also participated in a self-efficacy survey.

RESULTS

The intervention improved HCW and caregiver confidence and communication skills in pediatric disclosure. The most valuable intervention component was the disclosure cartoon book, which provided structure, language, and guidance for a gradual disclosure process. HCWs reported it greatly reduced caregiver resistance to disclosure. Both caregivers and HCWs reported improved knowledge and ability to support the pediatric patient, improved child understanding of how HIV medications work, increased child hopefulness for their future, and improved child adherence to care and treatment. HCW self-efficacy surveys found that HCWs who received training felt more confident in their ability to engage in the disclosure process.

CONCLUSIONS

HCWs and caregivers highly endorsed the intervention. Given the urgency to address pediatric HIV disclosure in Africa, and the utility and low cost of the locally-produced disclosure tool, this approach may be useful in other similar settings.

Disclosure of HIV Status to Perinatally Infected Adolescents in Urban Uganda: A Qualitative Study on Timing, Process, and Outcomes

Disclosure of HIV status to children and adolescents living with HIV remains a challenge in pediatric HIV care. Many of the current disclosure guidelines from national and international bodies recommend that perinatally infected children be informed of their HIV status prior to adolescence, but rates of disclosure in both high- and low-income countries remains low. The applicability of the recommendations to low-income countries remains largely unknown, as few studies have explored the disclosure process in these settings. Our purpose was to explore disclosure experiences of HIV-infected adolescents in Uganda. Disclosure was a largely one-time event conducted by health care providers. The average age at disclosure was 13 years. Disclosure elicited a diverse array of positive and negative reactions, including suicidal ideation; reactions were closely associated with participant age, gender, knowledge about HIV, and health status at time of disclosure. Interventions to promote locally effective, process-oriented approaches to early disclosure are needed.

Keeping the secret: how HIV-positive children in Iringa, Tanzania, respond to the perceived need for silence and secrecy

Children who live with HIV may experience two aspects of disclosure: receiving disclosure and disclosing their status to others. The objective of this paper is to explore how HIV-positive children respond to: (1) the disclosure process; and (2) the perceived need for secrecy and silence concerning living with HIV. Thirteen HIV-positive children between the ages of 10 and 15 years were recruited through a HIV treatment centre in Iringa, Tanzania. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with the children and staff members. The children received disclosure about their status from healthcare workers rather than caregivers. Several children were asked by their caregivers to keep their status secret, some chose to do so themselves, largely to avoid experienced or perceived stigma from the community. Secrecy had an impact on potentially supportive relationships. Children tend to mimic adult responses, including partial disclosure and lying to others.