Fords, Genevieve Marion (2016-03)
In South Africa women are diagnosed with HIV at antenatal clinics and simultaneously initiated on antiretroviral treatment (ART). An HIV diagnosis together with the initiation of ART have an emotional impact on the pregnant woman that may influence how she will cope with the pregnancy as well as her adherence to a treatment plan. Only a few studies in South Africa have focused on the experiences of pregnant women in rural settings who have tested HIV positive in pregnancy. The aim of the study was to explore the lived experiences of women diagnosed with HIV in the antenatal period in a rural area in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
A qualitative approach with a descriptive phenomenological design was utilized to explore the lived experiences of women who were diagnosed with HIV in the antenatal period. The study applied purposive sampling to select participants from the Matatiele community clinic, in the Eastern Cape. The Health Research Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University and the Department of Health of the Eastern Cape granted permission for conducting the study. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed using Colaizzi’s framework. Four themes emerged from the data.
The themes that emerged were: reality hits raw, a loneliness that hurts, hope for a fractured tomorrow and support of a few. The reality of an HIV diagnosis was a life changing event. Participants experienced a painful loneliness even though they had support from a few significant people in their life. Although for some an HIV diagnosis meant a death sentence, the love and concern for the unborn child’s safety provided a fractured hope for the future.
An HIV diagnosis during pregnancy remains a life altering experience for women. By improving the support systems in health facilities such as counselling services and the mental health skills of midwives, the experience of pregnancy could be more positive for women who are diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy.
In Suid Afrika word vroue wat by ’n voorgeboorte kliniek tydens swangerskap met HIV gediagnoseer word, tegelykertyd met antiretrovirale behandeling begin. ’n HIV diagnose gekoppel met die inisiasie van antiretrovirale behandeling het ’n emosionele impak op ŉ swanger vrou. Dit mag ŉ invloed hê op hoe sy die swangerskap gaan hanteer, sowel as hoe sy die behandeling gaan volhou. Slegs enkele studies in Suid Afrika het gefokus op die ervaringe van vroue wat tydens hul swangerskap met HIV gediagnoseer is. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die lewenservaringe van vroue in landelike gebiede van die Oostelike Provinsie in Suid Afrika wat tydens hul swangerskap met HIV gediagnosseer word, te bestudeer.
Die studie het gebruik gemaak van ŉ kwalitatiewe benadering met ŉ beskrywende fenomenologiese ontwerp ten einde die lewenservaringe van vroue wat tydens swangerskap met HIV gediagnosseer is, te ondersoek. Die studie het ŉ doelgerigte steekproef gebruik om die deelnemers uit die Matatiele gemeenskapskliniek in die Oostelike Provinsie te betrek. Die Gesondheid Navorsingsetiekkomitee van Stellenbosch Universiteit, sowel as die Departement van Gesondheid in die Oostelike Provinsie, het toestemming verleen dat die studie onderneem mag word. Tien semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer, getranskribeer en geanaliseer deur gebruik te maak van Colaizzi se raamwerk. Vier temas het voortgespruit uit die data.
Die temas wat voortgebring is, is as volg: realiteit tref hard; eensaamheid maak seer; hoop vir ’n gefraktuurde toekoms; en die ondersteuning van ŉ handjievol. Die realiteit van ŉ HIV diagnose is ŉ lewensveranderende gebeurtenis. Deelnemers het ŉ pynlike eensaamheid ervaar alhoewel daar enkeles was wat hulle ondersteun. Terwyl ŉ HIV diagnose ŉ doodsvonnis vir sommige beteken, het die omgee van en deernis vir die ongebore baba vir andere hoop op die toekoms gebied.
‘n HIV diagnose tydens swangerskap bly ŉ gebeurtenis wat vroue se lewens radikaal verander. Deur ondersteuningstelsels in gesondheidsorgfasiliteite, soos byvoorbeeld beradingsdienste en geestesgesondheidsvaardighede van vroedvroue te verbeter, mag vroue wat tydens swangerskap met HIV gediagnoseer word ŉ meer positiewe ondervinding hê.
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