The health literacy needs of women living with HIV/AIDS

Women in Sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately affected by the virus and constitute 60% of the total HIV/AIDS infections in this region. Current recommendations endorse the involvement of people living with HIV in the development of programmes for people living with the virus. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the health literacy needs of women living with HIV. The research design was qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual. After women living with HIV/AIDS were sampled purposively, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight women and qualitative content analysis done. The findings revealed that the women expressed a need to increase their knowledge about HIV/AIDS. The knowledge they needed ranged from basic pathophysiology about HIV/AIDS, to the impact of HIV/AIDS on their health, to an awareness of the modes of HIV transmission and methods of protecting others from being infected. Other important health literacy needs related to self-care and correct antiretroviral use. A need for psychosocial skills was also identified in order for women to build and maintain their relationships. Recommendations were made for nursing practice, education and further research, based on these findings.

AbstrakVroue in Sub-Sahara-Afrika word buite verhouding geraak deur die virus en vorm 60% van die totale MIV/VIGS - infeksies in hierdie streek. Huidige aanbevelings onderskryf die betrokkenheid van mense met MIV/VIGS in die ontwikkeling van MIV/VIGS programme vir mense met die siekte. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die gesondheid geletterdheid behoeftes van vroue met MIV te verken en te beskryf. Die navorsing was kwalitatief, verkennend, beskrywend en kontekstueel. Vroue met MIV/VIGS is doelgerig geidentifiseer en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is met agt vroue gevoer waarna kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise gedoen is. Die bevindinge het getoon dat die vroue 'n behoefte het om hul kennis oor MIV/VIGS uit te brei. Die kennis wat hulle benodig wissel van basiese patofisiologie oor MIV/VIGS, die impak van MIV/VIGS op hul gesondheid, 'n bewustheid van MIV-oordrag en maniere om naasbestaandes teen besmetting te beskerm. Ander belangrike gesondheid geletterdheid behoeftes het betrekking tot self-sorg en korrekte antiretrovirale gebruik. 'n Behoefte aan psigososiale vaardighede is ook geïdentifiseer sodat vroue verhoudinge kan behou en bou. Aanbevelings gebaseer op hierdie bevindinge is vir die verpleegpraktyk, verpleegonderwys en verdere navorsing gemaak.