Victims of HIV/AIDS are not only those who are infected with the disease, but also those who are affected by it; such as the children of infected parents and relatives, and indeed, all children living in communities in which the disease has reached epidemic proportions. As the number of orphaned and vulnerable children continues to rise unabated in South Africa the question remains as to who will look after these children once their parents, and relatives, have died. Research shows that the extended family continues to be the first line of support for such children; however, the dissolution of the extended family, due to HIV/AIDS, is also widely documented. The aim of this study is to explore two non-kin models of care which are available to orphaned and vulnerable children in KwaZulu-Natal; a transition home and a cluster foster home. The two organisations chosen for the study cater for children who are at different stages of childhood; one caters specifically for babies and toddlers, while the other caters for children and young adults between the ages of five and the early twenties. Both organisations emerged as a response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic which is profoundly evident in the areas in which the organisations are situated. The theory of social rupture thesis is utilised as it asserts that the extended family is reaching breaking point in terms of absorbing orphaned and vulnerable children, and therefore that it is slowly losing its ability to act as the first line of support against the disease. Based on the research and findings of this study, this hypothesis was found to be true, as was evident in the large (and increasing) numbers of children who can be found living in non-kin models of care around South Africa. An interesting phenomenon which was documented in both organisations was the re-emergence of the father figure in the home setting. South Africa is a country where the majority of children grow up without a traditional father figure and these two homes expressly include men in the lives of the children in order to highlight what they consider to be the necessary role of men within a family setting. This study explores the central themes which emerged during the research; that of the impact of shifting care-givers on the development of children, as well as the many socio-cultural issues which foster parents face while raising foster children. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

This dissertation examines the housing conditions experienced by the AIDS orphans at Malangeni. It documents and highlights the housing conditions and makes policy recommendations with regards to addressing housing needs of AIDS orphans. AIDS orphans are faced with the problem of inadequate housing. They are living in houses that have a variety of defects. These houses have broken windows, broken doors, leaks, holes in roof, cracks on walls, mould as well as poor ventilation. These, AIDS orphans are being cared for by their relatives, like their aunties but in most cases it is their grandparents that are getting money from the pension grant to support the whole family. The community of Malangeni is very poor and it does not have adequate funds to provide assistance to solve this problem of inadequate housing. The government and the community organizations have done very little to trying and provide assistance in this regard. AIDS orphans get emotional and moral support from members of local churches who visit each and every household that has AIDS orphans. It can therefore be argued that given the inadequate housing conditions that AIDS orphans live in, there is a need for housing policy to address the problem by providing AIDS orphans with housing that has basic infrastructure facilities that ensure basic health and safety and most importantly, improve the overall quality of life. / Thesis (M.Housing)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

This study examines the experience of individuals who participated or did not participate in the caregiving process for a family member who died within approximately the past three years of an AIDS-related illness. The focus of this study is on the adjustment of the caregivers and non-caregivers after the death of the PWA. It was hypothesized that due to their direct involvement in the caregiving process, caregivers would differ significantly from non-caregivers on a number of measures designed to evaluate adjustment. It was hypothesized that caregivers would report better overall adjustment than non-caregivers.Participants completed the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90; Derogatis, Lipman, & Covi, 1973), as well as a semi-structured interview about their experiences. A two-tailed t-test revealed no significant differences between groups. However, effect sizes computed for these variables revealed moderate to large diff ererences between caregivers and non-caregivers on the somatization and interpersonal subscales of the SCL-90. Comparisons to a standardization sample showed that caregivers differed significantly on all subscales from that standardization sample: Non-caregivers differed only on the depression and interpersonal sensitivity subscales. Analysis of the interview data revealed a significant difference in reported stress, with caregivers reporting significantly more stress during the illness of the PWA than non-caregivers. Effect sizes were computed for nine other interview categories; these suggested that caregiversreported substantially less social withdrawal, fewer feelings of guilt, fewer problems resolving issues with the PWA, substantially more physical illness, and more life affirming statements than their non-caregiver counterparts. Several other noteworthy trends that emerged in the interview portion of the study are discussed.Small sample size and pre-existing characteristics of the participants are explored as possible factors affecting the outcome of the study. More controlled studies exploring the adjustment of caregivers and non-caregivers are needed in order to better understand the possible differences that may exist between caregivers and non-caregivers in terms of adjustment after the death of their loved one from an AIDS-related illness. / Department of Psychological Science

Introduction Patients with femoral neck fractures (FNFs) constitute an increasing health care problem which affect patient’s daily living after the trauma, reduce self-care possibilities, and increases mortality. Treatment of these patients is associated with increasing costs. Prospective systematic audit and national registers have been suggested as one of the best approaches to measuring and improving outcomes. Previously neither detailed audit of patients with hip fracture nor further analysis of data was conducted in Lithuania Aim of the research project – to estimate factors affecting outcome in patients with FNF and to audit patients’ care, assessing importance to the outcome results, comparing FNF patients treated in Lithuania and Sweden. Tasks of the research project: 1. To identify factors affecting functional outcome and quality of life in femoral neck fracture patients at four months follow-up. 2. To estimate the changes in functional outcome and quality of life in fe-moral neck fracture patients at four months and at one year follow-up. 3. To compare hip fracture patients care in Kaunas Clinics and Lund University Hospital and identify differences during patients’ trans¬por-tation, preoperative, and postoperative time periods. 4. To compare functional and quality of life outcome in femoral neck fracture patients treated in Kaunas Clinics and Lund University Hos-pital. Patients and methods To achieve the aims of the research project, three consequential stu¬dies... [to full text] / Šlaunikaulio kaklo (ŠK) lūžis - trauma, stipriai įtakojanti ir pakeičianti kiekvieno paciento tolimesnį gyvenimą, kadangi mažina savarankiškumą, skatina negalią po lūžio, didina mirštamumo riziką. Šiuolaikinei sveikatos priežiūros sistemai tai didelis ekonominis iššūkis, susijęs su pacientų gydymu, reabilitacija, priežiūra bei poreikiais pirmaisiais metais po lūžio Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti veiksnius, turinčius įtakos šlaunikaulio kaklo lūžius patyrusių pacientų gydymo rezultatams, įvertinant pacientų priežiūrą iki patekimo į gydymo įstaigą ir hospitalizacijos laikotarpiais, lyginant rezultatus su Lundo universitetine ligonine. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti veiksnius, turinčius įtakos pacientų, patyrusių šlaunikaulio kaklo lūžius, klubo sąnario funkcijai bei su sveikata susijusiai gyvenimo kokybei praėjus keturiems mėnesiams po traumos. 2. Nustatyti klubo sąnario funkcijos ir su sveikata susijusios gyvenimo kokybės pokyčius nuo keturių mėnesių iki vienerių metų po traumos. 3. Palyginti šlaunikaulio lūžius patyrusių pacientų priežiūrą Kauno klinikose ir Lundo universitetinėje ligoninėje, įvertinant skirtumus pacientų transportavimo į gydymo įstaigą, priešoperaciniu ir pooperaciniu laikotarpiais. 4. Palyginti klubo sąnario funkciją ir su sveikata susijusią gyvenimo kokybę tarp pacientų, gydytų Kauno klinikose ir Lundo universitetinėje ligoninėje, praėjus keturiems mėnesiams po traumos. Tyrimo metodika Tyrimas vykdytas Lietuvos Sveikatos mokslų universiteto Kauno... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

The aim of this study was to investigate met and unmet palliative care needs for people living with HIV/AIDS in selected areas in Rwanda. The achieve this aim, the study, firstly, identified the palliative care needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, secondly, it identified the health care services available to meet these needs, and thirdly, it determined the extent to which palliative care needs were met.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Philosophy, Interpretation and Culture Graduate Program, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

In recent years, the move toward a more holistic perspective in health care has led to social scientists investigating psychosocial factors in chronic illness, such as the different languages used by health professionals when talking about nonhealth. However, there has been little inquiry into caregivers' illness experiences of stroke and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study therefore explores the illness experiences of seven caregivers whose spouses are stroke or AD patients. A hermeneutic approach was adopted and two relatively unstructured interviews were conducted with each caregiver. Using Kleinman's work on illness narratives as an interpretive framework, it was found that - except for people questioning the authenticity of AD caregivers' experiences - similarities in caregivers' experiences outweighed differences. All described the extent to which their lives had been damaged by the illness and their reparation attempts. Critique of the research is presented and the findings' implications for treatment are suggested / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Ph.D. (Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / The aim of this study was to investigate met and unmet palliative care needs for people living with HIV/AIDS in selected areas in Rwanda. The achieve this aim, the study, firstly, identified the palliative care needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, secondly, it identified the health care services available to meet these needs, and thirdly, it determined the extent to which palliative care needs were met. / South Africa

The potential of community-based organisations (CBOs) to provide lasting solutions in the field of Human Immune Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has long been recognised. As interest in the role of CBOs has increased, so have attempts to build their capacity and increase their stability and sustainability. Capacity-building initiatives which aim to strengthen CBOs as if they were identical to formal, more established organisations have often proved ineffective, and even at times destructive, because they have ignored the very differences that make CBOs potentially the most effective agents of development change at community level. This study is a qualitative exploration of a new mentoring-based approach to CBO capacity-building, which is currently being used extensively with CBOs in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The research is inductive, beginning with an exploratory, descriptive and contextual study of the personal experiences and perceptions of CBO leadership team members from four sample CBOs which have graduated from the Barnabas Trust mentoring programme. Data was collected using a combination of face-to-face unstructured interviews and focus group discussion, with the objective of exploring the subjects’ experiences and their perceptions of the impact of the Barnabas Trust mentoring programme on the sustainability of their organisations. The insights and findings arising from the research process are then applied as the basis for a series of recommendations for the adaptation of the Barnabas trust mentoring approach and materials. The findings of this study appear to show that the mentoring-based approach has been an effective strategy for capacity-building towards sustainability for the CBOs in the sample, bringing positive change at the individual, organisational and community levels.