AIDS-Orphanhood and Caregiver HIV/AIDS Sickness Status: Effects on Psychological Symptoms in South African Youth

Objective: Research has established that AIDS-orphaned youth are at high risk of internalizing psychological distress. However, little is known about youth living with caregivers who are unwell with AIDS or youth simultaneously affected by AIDS-orphanhood and caregiver AIDS sickness. Methods: 1025 S...

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Main Authors: Cluver, L., Orkin, M., Boyes, Mark, Gardner, F., Nikelo, J.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Oxford University Press 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/24406
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author Cluver, L.
Orkin, M.
Boyes, Mark
Gardner, F.
Nikelo, J.
author_facet Cluver, L.
Orkin, M.
Boyes, Mark
Gardner, F.
Nikelo, J.
author_sort Cluver, L.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Objective: Research has established that AIDS-orphaned youth are at high risk of internalizing psychological distress. However, little is known about youth living with caregivers who are unwell with AIDS or youth simultaneously affected by AIDS-orphanhood and caregiver AIDS sickness. Methods: 1025 South African youth were interviewed in 2005 and followed up in 2009 (71% retention). Participants completed standardized measures of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. Comparison groups were youth who were AIDS-orphaned, other-orphaned, and nonorphaned, and those whose caregivers were sick with AIDS, sick with another disease, or healthy. Results: Longitudinal analyses showed that both AIDS-orphanhood and caregiver AIDS sickness predicted increased depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms over a 4-year period, independently of sociodemographic cofactors and of each other. Caregiver sickness or death by non-AIDS causes, and having a healthy or living caregiver, did not predict youth symptomatology. Youths simultaneously affected by caregiver AIDS sickness and AIDS-orphanhood showed cumulative negative effects. Conclusions Findings suggest that policy and interventions, currently focused on orphanhood, should include youth whose caregivers are unwell with AIDS.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-244062017-09-13T15:07:14Z AIDS-Orphanhood and Caregiver HIV/AIDS Sickness Status: Effects on Psychological Symptoms in South African Youth Cluver, L. Orkin, M. Boyes, Mark Gardner, F. Nikelo, J. HIV/AIDS caregiver mental health youth South Africa Objective: Research has established that AIDS-orphaned youth are at high risk of internalizing psychological distress. However, little is known about youth living with caregivers who are unwell with AIDS or youth simultaneously affected by AIDS-orphanhood and caregiver AIDS sickness. Methods: 1025 South African youth were interviewed in 2005 and followed up in 2009 (71% retention). Participants completed standardized measures of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. Comparison groups were youth who were AIDS-orphaned, other-orphaned, and nonorphaned, and those whose caregivers were sick with AIDS, sick with another disease, or healthy. Results: Longitudinal analyses showed that both AIDS-orphanhood and caregiver AIDS sickness predicted increased depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms over a 4-year period, independently of sociodemographic cofactors and of each other. Caregiver sickness or death by non-AIDS causes, and having a healthy or living caregiver, did not predict youth symptomatology. Youths simultaneously affected by caregiver AIDS sickness and AIDS-orphanhood showed cumulative negative effects. Conclusions Findings suggest that policy and interventions, currently focused on orphanhood, should include youth whose caregivers are unwell with AIDS. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/24406 10.1093/jpepsy/jss004 Oxford University Press unknown
spellingShingle HIV/AIDS
caregiver
mental health
youth
South Africa
Cluver, L.
Orkin, M.
Boyes, Mark
Gardner, F.
Nikelo, J.
AIDS-Orphanhood and Caregiver HIV/AIDS Sickness Status: Effects on Psychological Symptoms in South African Youth
title AIDS-Orphanhood and Caregiver HIV/AIDS Sickness Status: Effects on Psychological Symptoms in South African Youth
title_full AIDS-Orphanhood and Caregiver HIV/AIDS Sickness Status: Effects on Psychological Symptoms in South African Youth
title_fullStr AIDS-Orphanhood and Caregiver HIV/AIDS Sickness Status: Effects on Psychological Symptoms in South African Youth
title_full_unstemmed AIDS-Orphanhood and Caregiver HIV/AIDS Sickness Status: Effects on Psychological Symptoms in South African Youth
title_short AIDS-Orphanhood and Caregiver HIV/AIDS Sickness Status: Effects on Psychological Symptoms in South African Youth
title_sort aids-orphanhood and caregiver hiv/aids sickness status: effects on psychological symptoms in south african youth
topic HIV/AIDS
caregiver
mental health
youth
South Africa
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/24406