| Abstrakt: |
The elderly living with HIV have been largely neglected, leading to a growing population of older people facing socioeconomic, psychological and physical challenges allied with the aging process. There is lack of awareness about the transmission of the disease and educational material targeted towards older adults. The study explores the experiences and awareness of older adults regarding HIV in Hammanskraal community. This was a qualitative explorative study. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants for the focus group discussion (FGD). The interview guide was developed in English and translated into Setswana language. Five focus group discussions were conducted with 32 participants. The participants were assured of their privacy and confidentiality. All the FGDs were recorded, transcribed, and finally analysed using the N-VIVO software. Seven thematic areas were unveiled from the study. It transpired that older people living with HIV experience physical changessuch as: weight gain or loss, body pain, body weakness, tiredness and sores. The findings showed that older adults cope well with the burdens that HIV created by learning to accept their status. In addition, some participants reported high level of psychological distress, especially those who lacked support system. The social experiences such as stigma, isolation and discrimination were the important issues raised during focus group discussions. Various financial burdens were expressed such as extra spending as a result of diet modification, treatment, transportation and medication. Some participants also reported lost jobs due to deterioration of their physical health. The majority of the elderly living with HIV do have a sound knowledge of HIV&AIDS, including some coping mechanisms when caught-up in such situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
