Faith-based organisations' response to HIV/AIDS : a pilot study of a Cesa Church.

Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College 2015.“Despite recent advances in its public policies to address HIV and AIDS, South Africa continues to have the largest HIV epidemic of any country in the world” (Keikelame, Murphy, Ringheim,and Woldehanna, 2010). The most productive sectors in the South African population continue to be undermined by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Historically the Church has been an institution significantly involved in the lives of people in various ways especially in the caring for people. In South Africa, a number of people identify themselves as belonging to a faith-based organisation. This means that churches in South Africa are in a position to make a positive influence when it comes to addressing issues around HIV/AIDS. The aim of this study was to describe how leaders of a specific church perceive their roles in addressing social challenges within the church community and also to explore how they are responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine church leaders from a CESA church located in a suburb south of the eThekwini municipality. An interview guide containing open-ended questions was used. The findings of the study revealed that there is a wide range of social concerns that congregational members face and attempt to deal with; however the topic of HIV/AIDS is one that the leaders do not appear to give much attention. It was apparent from the statements that some of the church leaders felt that HIV/AIDS was a result of ‘brokenness’ in the world and possible judgment from God. These findings highlight the need for this FBO to play a more active role in the lives of the people they serve by being knowledgeable about challenges that the congregation experience and by equipping themselves with accurate information about HIV/AIDS and the necessary skills to support their members

Resilience in perinatal HIV+ adolescents in South Africa

Increasing numbers of perinatally HIV (PHIV+)-infected youth are surviving into adulthood with better access to treatment. However, few studies examine positive outcomes in the face of adversity (resilience) for PHIV+ youth. Social Action Theory (SAT) provided the theoretical framework for this study of PHIV + youth in South Africa (SA), allowing examination of contextual, social, and self-regulatory factors that influence behavioral health. Data were from youth and caregiver baseline interviews, simply pooled from a pilot (N=66) and larger (n=111) randomized control trial (RCT) of the VUKA Family program. For this analysis, outcomes included emotional and behavioral functioning (total difficulties), and prosocial behaviors. Potential SAT correlates included socio-demographics; caregiver health and mental health; parent-child relationship factors; stigma, and child coping, support; and self-esteem. Regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, and study revealed significant associations at the contextual, social, and self-regulation level. Lower total child difficulties scores were associated with lower caregiver depression (β = 3.906,p < .001), less caregiver-reported communication about difficult issues (β = 1.882, p = .009) and higher youth self-esteem (β = -0.119, p = .020). Greater prosocial behaviors were associated with greater caregiver-reported communication (β = 0.722, p = .020) and child use of wishful thinking for coping (β = 5.532, p = .009). Less youth depression was associated with higher caregiver education (β =−0.399, p = .010), greater caregiver supervision (β = −1.261, p = .012), more social support seeking (β = −0.453, p = .002), higher youth self-esteem (β = −0.067, p < .001), lower internalized stigma (β = 0.608, p = .040), and child use of resignation for coping (β = 1.152, p = .041). Our data support evidence-based family interventions that also promote youth self-regulation skills to enhance the health and mental health of PHIV+ youth

Resilience in perinatal HIV+ adolescents in South Africa

Increasing numbers of perinatally HIV (PHIV+)-infected youth are surviving into adulthood with better access to treatment. However, few studies examine positive outcomes in the face of adversity (resilience) for PHIV+ youth. Social Action Theory (SAT) provided the theoretical framework for this study of PHIV + youth in South Africa (SA), allowing examination of contextual, social, and self-regulatory factors that influence behavioral health. Data were from youth and caregiver baseline interviews, simply pooled from a pilot (N=66) and larger (n=111) randomized control trial (RCT) of the VUKA Family program. For this analysis, outcomes included emotional and behavioral functioning (total difficulties), and prosocial behaviors. Potential SAT correlates included socio-demographics; caregiver health and mental health; parent-child relationship factors; stigma, and child coping, support; and self-esteem. Regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, and study revealed significant associations at the contextual, social, and self-regulation level. Lower total child difficulties scores were associated with lower caregiver depression (β = 3.906,p < .001), less caregiver-reported communication about difficult issues (β = 1.882, p = .009) and higher youth self-esteem (β = -0.119, p = .020). Greater prosocial behaviors were associated with greater caregiver-reported communication (β = 0.722, p = .020) and child use of wishful thinking for coping (β = 5.532, p = .009). Less youth depression was associated with higher caregiver education (β =−0.399, p = .010), greater caregiver supervision (β = −1.261, p = .012), more social support seeking (β = −0.453, p = .002), higher youth self-esteem (β = −0.067, p < .001), lower internalized stigma (β = 0.608, p = .040), and child use of resignation for coping (β = 1.152, p = .041). Our data support evidence-based family interventions that also promote youth self-regulation skills to enhance the health and mental health of PHIV+ youth