Bekendmaking van MIV/VIGS-status : 'n gevallestudie

Abstract

Not only in South-Africa, but worldwide, HIV/AIDS is a morbidity that increases on a daily basis. Currently, it can be seen as the hugest health dilemma in the world. The implications of the Aids pandemic on community structures are distressful. It is estimated that just as many people will die of Aids as from any other cause. A positive HIV test result has an enormous impact on the life of the person. A person's whole life changes the very moment he is informed that he is HIV positive. The person who is diagnosed with HIV as well as the people around him need to make life-changing decisions. These decisions should be made to deal with demands of HIV in an effective manner. According to people with HIV/AIDS from different communities, negative responses from fellow community members have a far more negative impact on them than having to deal with the positive HIV-status itself. It therefore is essential that a supporting environment be established in which in people living with HIV/AIDS can be accepted. To be able to understand and manage the situation better it is necessary to establish which processes made it possible for people to disclose their positive HIV/AIDS-status and what the experience of a person was after disclosure. The study established which processes were present to enable him to disclose and what support systems are necessary for people to disclose a positive HIV/AIDSstatus. A case study was used.