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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Perceived social support and the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans in urban Kenya
AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV, Volume 23, No. 9, Year 2011
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Description
Parental deaths due to AIDS seriously affect the psychological well-being of children. Social support may provide an effective resource in the care of vulnerable children in resource-limited settings. However, few studies have examined the relationships between social support and psychological well-being among AIDS orphans. This cross-sectional study was conducted to explore associations between perceived social support (PSS) and the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans, and to identify socio-demographic factors that are associated with PSS. Data were collected from 398 pairs of AIDS orphans (aged 10-18 years) and their caregivers in Nairobi, Kenya. The participants provided information on their socio-demographic characteristics, the children's PSS, and the children's psychological status (based on measures of depressive symptoms and self-esteem). Of the 398 pairs, 327 were included in the analysis. PSS scores of AIDS orphans showed significant correlations with depressive symptoms (ρ =-0.31, p<0.001) and self-esteem (ρ = 0.32, p<0.001). Socio-demographic factors, such as HIV-positive status of children (β=3.714, p=0.014) and cohabitation with siblings (=3.044, p=0.016), were also associated with higher PSS scores. In particular, HIV-infected children (n=37) had higher scores of PSS from a special person (β=2.208, p=0.004), and children living with biological siblings (n=269) also had higher scores of PSS from both a special person (β=1.411, p=0.029) and friends (β=1.276, p=0.039). In conclusion, this study showed that PSS is positively associated with the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans. Siblings and special persons can be effective sources of social support for AIDS orphans, which help to promote their psychological well-being. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.
Authors & Co-Authors
Okawa, Sumiyo
Japan, Tokyo
Graduate School of Medicine
Yasuoka, Junko
Japan, Tokyo
Graduate School of Medicine
Ishikawa, Naoko
Japan, Tokyo
National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Poudel, Krishna Chandra
Japan, Tokyo
Graduate School of Medicine
Ragi, Allan
Kenya, Nairobi
Kenya Aids Ngos Consortium
Jimba, Masamine
Japan, Tokyo
Graduate School of Medicine
Statistics
Citations: 59
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1080/09540121.2011.554530
ISSN:
09540121
e-ISSN:
13600451
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative
Study Locations
Kenya