Caring for those infected means caring for the future. A community based, participatory intervention program aimed at meeting the needs of HIV positive individuals.

Research area(s):

Project start:
01.08.2002

Project end:
31.07.2006

Co-ordinators:
Dageid, Wenche

Institutions:
University of Oslo,

Funding source(s):
NUFU (The Norwegian Council for Higher Education’s Programme for Development Research and Education),
The Research Council of Norway,

Project description:
Project leader: Prof. Fanny Duckert, Dep.of Psychology, UiO

More than 5 million South Africans are HIV positive. HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects disadvantaged individuals and communities, and there is a huge need for care and support for the infected. The hypothesis of this study is that tailor-made, participatory interventions lead to beneficial adjustment to HIV/AIDS, better perceived quality of life and fullfilment of personal and community roles.

PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE
To create a tailor-made intervention project adressing HIV positive individuals in the Limpopo province, based upon a throrough exploration of HIV positive individuals' perception, adjustment and needs.

SUBGOALS
1. To map the prevalence and patterns of HIV infection in Limpopo: Who are infected?
How do they live? What characteristics do they have?
2. To understand meanings attached to HIV/AIDS in the local communities, the impact on
the communities and how they deal with it.
3. To explore experiences and coping of individuals in the context of HIV infection.
4. To identify HIV positive individuals' needs for dealing with the situation
5. Mobilize HIV positive individuals through planning, implementation and monitoring of
a tailor-made, participatory, community based project
6. Evaluate of the interventions: which interventions/elements were most succesful in
meeting the identified needs?

METHOD
Participatory action research with a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods: in-depth interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, flow charts, journals, diaries, photos, participatory observation, field notes, video.

PHASE 1 (2002-2003)
Background information, needs assessment and questionnaires.
186 women and 64 men (n= 250) recruited through Mankweng hospital HIV clinic for questionnaires and in-depth interviews.

PHASE 2 (2004)
Creation of support group. Planning of interventions: vegetable garden, selling project and car wash through group discussion and flow charts.

PHASE 3 (2004-2005)
Implementation and monitoring of interventions through journals, diaries, photos and focus groups. New needs identified and met: workshop in disclosure & stigma, information and training in basic HIV/AIDS knowledge, and bringing the knowledge to the community through campaigns.

PHASE 4 (2005-)
Evaluation through SWOT analysis in support group meeting, as well as 60 in-depth interviews and questionnaires with both members and non-members of the support group. Workshop in project management and organisational skills to maintain a functional group.

Countries:

Link to webpage:
www. psykologi.uio.no/forskning/unin, www.fm.siu.no/NufuProjects