Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA.
AIDS Behav. 2020 Nov;24(11):3225-3231. doi: 10.1007/s10461-020-02884-4.
Despite available guidelines for disclosure of HIV status to children, most children living with HIV are unaware of their diagnosis. We sought to characterize the concepts of illness and treatment among children living with HIV who do not know their status. As part of the Sankofa trial we interviewed 435 children aged 6-18 enrolled in clinical care at pediatric HIV clinics at two teaching hospitals in Ghana. Theoretic thematic analysis generated themes among responses. The children believe they come to the clinic to collect medication, to address specific symptoms, to prevent and treat 'sickness', or as part of their routine. Most children learned of their 'illness' from a family member. A majority (73.5%) of children had never talked about their 'illness' with anyone else; many feared consequences. Children living with HIV who do not know their status exhibit signs of anticipated and internalized stigma regarding their unknown 'illness.' An understanding of the way children conceptualize their illness has implications for health promotion and the provision of appropriate information to children living with HIV.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01701635.
尽管有关于向儿童披露 HIV 感染状况的指南，但大多数 HIV 感染者儿童仍不知道自己的诊断结果。我们试图描述不知道自己 HIV 感染状况的 HIV 感染者儿童对疾病和治疗的理解。作为 Sankofa 试验的一部分，我们采访了加纳两所教学医院的儿科 HIV 诊所中 435 名年龄在 6-18 岁的儿童。理论主题分析从应答中提取主题。这些儿童认为他们来诊所是为了领取药物，解决特定的症状，预防和治疗“疾病”，或者是他们日常生活的一部分。大多数儿童是从家庭成员那里得知自己“患病”的。大多数（73.5%）儿童从未与其他人谈论过自己的“疾病”；许多人担心后果。不知道自己 HIV 感染状况的 HIV 感染者儿童表现出对其未知“疾病”的预期和内化污名的迹象。了解儿童对其疾病的概念化方式，对于促进健康和向 HIV 感染者儿童提供适当信息具有重要意义。临床试验标识符 NCT01701635。
