Possibly the influence of other adults in the household has a mitigating effect. A number of patients reported that the decline in their economic situation following the death of the breadwinner had contributed to stress in the household. Children also said that reduced income caused distress because there was no longer sufficient food and money was not available for schoolrequisites and clothing. Surprisingly, the children in the study families were more likely to be in school than the children in the control households living in the same residential areas. Although finances were often a problem, parents and children valued education and made sacrifices so that the children could be in school.
Education appears to provide both stability and hope for the future.
Mobility of AIDS-affected children has been a concern because of the possibility of frequent moves or residence with unknown relatives producing adverse effects on the children. However, the children in this study did not appear to be moving because of their parents' illness. No child was living with other family members directly because of the patient's illness. Three reasons were given for the child living elsewhere. There was some change in household composition during the study but the majority were stable.