The Peer Educator Is the Game-Changer of My Life”
Perceptions of Adolescents Living with HIV in DR Congo on Involving Peer Educators in the Process of HIV Disclosure
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15715372 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Faustin Kitetele (0000-0002-6963-8825, Kinshasa General Hospital, corresponding author), Gilbert M Lelo (University of Kinshasa), Cathy E Akele (Kinshasa General Hospital), Patricia Lelo (Kinshasa General Hospital), Eric M Mafuta (University of Kinshasa), Thorkild Tylleskär (0000-0003-4801-4324, University of Bergen), Espérance Kashala-Abotnes (0000-0002-6441-7003, University of Bergen) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 1239-1239 |
| Publication date | 2022-08-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Children (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-9067 • E-ISSN: 2227-9067 |
| Publisher | Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3390/children9081239 |
| PMID | 36010129 |
| OpenAlex | W4292262901 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 12 |
Several approaches to the disclosure of HIV status to children and adolescents have been described. Each of these places particular emphasis on the role of parents and health care workers (HCWs) to mitigate the impact of disclosure on the adolescent without exploring the possible roles that other individuals might play in the process of disclosure. This article assesses the perceptions of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) about disclosure done by parents, guardians, HCWs, peer educators in the role of peer supporters, accidentally or by self-discovery, and the subsequent effects of disclosure method on their mental health. We used a qualitative study to conduct semi-structured interviews with 73 ALHIV at the Kalembelembe Paediatric Hospital, in DR Congo disclosed to by parents, guardians, HCWs, and/or peer educators, respectively, or disclosed to accidentally or by self-discovery. Microsoft Excel analysis matrix was used to organize the qualitative data. The majority of ALHIV whose disclosure involved a peer educator unanimously acknowledged the important role of the peer in accepting their HIV status, in their ART adherence, and their development of self-esteem. However, most ALHIV disclosed without involving peers declared that they had accepted their situation after a relatively long period followed by contact with the peer and integration in the self-support group. We found that the peer approach is the game-changer of the HIV status disclosure process that would allow ALHIV to accept their HIV status with minimum distress, it builds resilience, and allows them to adhere to treatment
Family medicine · Health care · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV · Medical education · Peer group · Peer support · Perception · Political science · Qualitative research · Sociology · Adolescent and Pediatric Healthcare · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Law · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Social Psychology
Innovative approaches for engaging adolescents in Primary HIV prevention
Qualitative Study on the Voices of Adolescents Living with Perinatally Acquired HIV in Selected Clinics in the Limpopo Province of South Africa
HIV Disclosure to Infected Children Involving Peers
Lessons Learned from the Impact of HIV Status Disclosure to Children after First-Line Antiretroviral Treatment Failure in Kinshasa, DR Congo
Youth-led Mental Health Promotion in South Africa
Emotion Elicits the Social Sharing of Emotion
A review of the literature on peer support in mental health services
Peer support among individuals with severe mental illness
The process of HIV status disclosure to HIV-positive youth in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Extent of disclosure
Familial silence surrounding HIV and non-disclosure of HIV status to older children and adolescents
Pain, Anger, and the Fear of Being Discovered Persist Long after the Disclosure of HIV Serostatus among Adolescents with Perinatal HIV in Rural Communities in South Africa
The Consequences of Delaying Telling Children with Perinatal HIV About Their Diagnosis as Perceived by Healthcare Workers in the Eastern Cape; A Qualitative Study
Dealing with disclosure
The experience of puberty in Iranian adolescent girls
It’s a secret between us”
The contribution of self-help/mutual aid groups to mental well-being
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1.25 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2026 (5) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |