Caregiver supportive policies to improve child outcomes in the wake of the HIV/Aids epidemic

An analysis of the gap between what is needed and what is available in 25 high prevalence countries

Datos Bibliográficos

ID19442154
AutoresRachel Kidman (0000-0001-7202-5571, Stony Brook University, autor de correspondencia), Jody Heymann (0000-0003-0008-4198, University of California, Los Angeles)
Año2016
Volumen28
Númerosup2
Páginas142-152
Fecha de publicación2016-05-26
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAIDS Care (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0954-0121 • E-ISSN: 1360-0451
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09540121.2016.1176685
PMID27392009
OpenAlexW2468322144
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas7
Referencias citadas31

In the wake of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, caregivers are struggling to support HIV-affected children. For reasons of equity and efficiency, their needs can be best met through strong social protections and policies. This paper presents a conceptual framework to help address the needs of HIV-affected caregivers and to prioritize policies. We describe the needs that are common across diverse caregiving populations (e.g., economic security); the needs which are intensified (e.g., leave to care for sick children) or unique to providing care to HIV-affected children (e.g., ARV treatment). The paper then explores the types of social policies that would facilitate families meeting these needs. We outline a basic package of policies that would support HIV-affected families, and would meet goals agreed to by national governments. We examine the availability of these policies in 25 highly affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of countries guarantee short-term income protection during illness, free primary school, and educational inclusion of children with special needs. However, there are significant gaps in areas critical to family economic security and healthy child development. Fewer than half of the countries we analyzed guarantee a minimum wage that will enable families to escape poverty; only six have eliminated tuition fees for secondary school; and only three offer paid leave to care for sick children. Filling these policy gaps, as well as making mental health and social services more widely available, is essential to support caregiving by families for HIV-affected children. As part of the HIV agenda, the global community can help national governments advance towards their policy targets. This would provide meaningful protection for families affected by HIV, as well as for millions of other vulnerable families and children across the region

Business · Economic growth · Economics · Political science · Poverty · Social security · Social support · Global Maternal and Child Health · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Psychology · Social Psychology