Family economic strengthening and mental health functioning of caregivers for Aids-affected children in rural Uganda

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12894010
AutoresJulia Shu‐huah Wang (0000-0002-6128-8242, Columbia University), Fred M Ssewamala (0000-0002-4849-5650, Columbia University, autor de correspondencia), Chang-Keun Han (0000-0001-5375-8411, Sungkyunkwan University)
Año2014
Volumen9
Número3
Páginas258-269
Fecha de publicación2014-06-02
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaVulnerable Children and Youth Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1745-0136 • E-ISSN: 1745-0128
EditorialRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17450128.2014.920119
PMID26246846
PMCIDPMC4523299
OpenAlexW2012005516
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas10
Referencias citadas18

In sub-Saharan Africa, many extended families assume the role of caregivers for children orphaned by AIDS (AIDS-affected children). The economic and psychological stress ensued from caregiving duties often predispose caregivers to poor mental health outcomes. Yet, very few studies exist on effective interventions to support these caregivers. Using data from a randomized controlled trial called Suubi-Maka ( N = 346), this paper examines whether a family economic strengthening intervention among families caring for AIDS-affected children (ages 12-14) in Uganda would improve the primary caregivers' mental health functioning. The Suubi-Maka study comprised of a control condition ( n = 167) receiving usual care for AIDS-affected children, and a treatment condition ( n = 179) receiving a family economic strengthening intervention, including matched savings accounts, and financial planning and management training to incentivize families to save money for education and/or family-level income generating projects. This paper uses data from baseline/pre-intervention (wave 1) interviews with caregivers and 12-month post-intervention initiation (wave 2). The caregiver's mental health measure adapted from previous studies in sub- Saharan Africa had an internal consistency of .88 at wave 1 and .90 at wave 2. At baseline, the two study groups did not significantly differ on caregiver's mental health functioning. However, at 12-month follow-up, multiple regression analysis located significant differences between the two study groups on mental health functioning. Specifically, following the intervention, caregivers in the treatment condition reported positive improvements on their mental health functioning, especially in the symptom areas of obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and psychoticism. Findings point to a need for programs and policies aimed at supporting caregivers of AIDS-affected children to begin to consider incorporating family-level economic strengthening components in their usual care protocols, especially in low-resource countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Economic empowerment programming may help enhance the well-being of caregivers and their families

Intervention (counseling · Mental health · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Randomized controlled trial · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Clinical Psychology · Global Maternal and Child Health · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Psychology