Browsing by Author "Mossi, Stella"

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    Psychosocial experiences and coping strategies of home-based caregivers of HIV and AIDS patients: a case study of Temeke district, Dar es Salaam region
    (Unversity of Dar es Salaam, 2007) Mossi, Stella
    Caring for anyone with a serious chronic illness is a physical and emotional challenge for even the most dedicated caregivers. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychosocial experiences facing caregivers of HlV/AIDS patients at home and the coping strategies adopted to overcome or cope with those experiences. To achieve these objectives the researcher used semi structured interview, focus group discussion, non participatory observation and documentary review. Descriptive case study was used in this study and data collected were subjected to content analysis technique. The study revealed that the psychosocial experiences of HB caregivers are a result of lack of HIV and AIDS awareness of the caregivers, and lack of community support. The study showed that stressful experiences among caregivers were due to extreme poverty, over burdened by workload, fear of death and fear of contracting HIV/AIDS and being stigmatized by community members. Again, the study found that for caregivers to cope with challenges they used coping strategies such as sharing of experiences with friends, relatives and neighbours, prayers, requesting for assistance, seeking for company, borrowing money and information seeking. It was recommended that community members should that HIV/AIDS like any other patients, community members should initiate special programmes for informal caregivers on HIV/AIDS and how to effectively care for a HlV/AIDS patients and cope with the caring burden.