Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The HIV/AIDS pandemic has led to millions of deaths; disability for the sufferers and multiple socioeconomic effects on HIV infected and affected individuals.Among the factors affecting people living with HIV/AIDS that may contribute to HIV related disability is mental illness such as HIV related manias and depression.'HIV counselors' make up part of the team at the forefront of HIV treatment and management in Uganda but little is known about their perceptions of mental illness.This study therefore sought to explore the perceptions of mental illness among HIV counselors in Uganda.A qualitative study was conducted.Ten individual interviews and three focus group discussions were carried out among 31 HIV counselors.They were selected from five HIV treatment centers in Kampala district, Uganda.An interview guide based on Kleinman's explanatory model of illness with case vignettes depicting depression, alcohol abuse, mania, and psychosis were used to facilitate discussion.Data was thematically analyzed.HIV counselors exhibited some knowledge concerning depression among HIV positive clients, with some viewing the symptoms of depression as "understandable sadness" arising from the HIV client's psychosocial reality which is rife with poverty, stigma and lack of social support.Counselors also reported that some of their client's physical symptoms were a result of their emotional problems.Mania and psychosis were attributed to religious beliefs and witchcraft; and in some cases disease progression or HIV drugs.Chronic alcohol abuse, despite continuous counseling was seen as a waste of the counselor's time in face of overwhelming numbers of clients per day.Such clients, along with clients with suicidal ideations were often threatened or ignored.Counselors agreed that they needed training on assessment of mental illness, and how difficult cases could be referred.
Author: Lynda Nakalawa
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2099930123