Peer-reviewed article
Caregiving experiences, challenges and needs of mothers for their young children who are HIV exposed and uninfected from Worcester, South Africa – A qualitative exploration through the nurturing care framework
Himani Bhardwaj Pandya, Xanthe Hunt, Peter Suwirakwenda Nyasulu, Amy L. Slogrove ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5This study looked at mothers in South Africa raising young children who were exposed to HIV before birth but tested negative themselves. Researchers interviewed 20 mothers to understand their caregiving experiences and challenges. Mothers continued to worry about their child's health and development even after HIV infection was ruled out. Caregiving was made harder by financial difficulties, heavy workloads, the mothers' own poor health, and lack of support from partners or family. The authors suggest that support frameworks for early childhood development need to better address the specific needs of these families.
Key points
- Mothers of HIV-exposed uninfected children continued to worry about their child's health and development beyond the HIV-negative diagnosis
- Nurturing care was hindered by financial constraints, heavy caregiving demands, and mothers' poor health
- Limited partner and family support intensified caregiving challenges
- The study involved 20 mothers whose children were HIV-exposed, over 1 year old, and tested HIV negative at 12 months
- Existing efforts to apply the Nurturing Care Framework in high-HIV settings need strengthening for this group
Limitations
This is a small qualitative study of 20 mothers in one area of South Africa, so findings may not generalise to other settings or populations.
Abstract
In high HIV prevalence settings, pregnancy and early childhood can be stressful periods for mothers with HIV, due to fear of HIV transmission, breastfeeding concerns, poor health and socio-economic challenges. Not much is known about how mothers of young children who are HIV exposed and uninfected (HEU) experience caregiving before and beyond the confirmation of their HIV-negative status. Using the Nurturing Care Framework for early childhood development, this qualitative study explores the caregiving experiences, challenges, and support needs of mothers raising young children who are HEU. Conducted in the Western Cape, South Africa, the study involved in-depth interviews with 20 mothers whose children were exposed to HIV, >1 year old, and tested HIV negative at 12 months. Reflexive thematic analysis guided the data analysis. Mothers' concerns persisted beyond ruling out HIV to encompass the overall health and development of their child during early years of life. Nurturing care practices were hindered by structural challenges - financial constraints, heavy caregiving demands, their own poor health, and limited partner/family support, which were further intensified by mothers' HIV and their child's HIV exposure. Existing efforts to operationalise the Nurturing Care Framework in high-HIV settings need to be strengthened to consider the specific needs and vulnerabilities of mothers of children who are HEU.