Exploring the Psychological Well-being of People Living With HIV/Aids in Lusikisiki, in the Eastern Cape: South Africa

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to look at the psychological health of people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), exploring how they manage their daily lives on a physical, social, and psychological level. In a qualitative study conducted among participants in one of the support groups overseen by the Lusikisiki District office of Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), 15 isiXhosa-speaking participants, men and women, between the ages of 20 and 60 were interviewed. According to the findings, PLWHA are doing well in terms of accepting their HIV positive status, obtaining access to care and receiving support. As coping mechanisms, they turn to self-motivation, spirituality or religion, and support groups. However, unemployment continues to be a major factor in the psychological health of PLWHA in Lusikisiki, as people lack the resources to make ends meet, which causes them to be in a constant state of stress and worry about where their next meal will come from, negatively affecting their quality of life. It is recommended that community initiatives such as raising poultry and pigs and cultivating vegetables in gardens to provide income and for their own consumption could help improve the lives of PLWHA if sponsors would be prepared to support such initiatives and would monitor their progress and their sustainability as well.

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Author Information
Nombulelo Nodwengu, University of Fort Hare, South Africa
Veliswa Hoho, University of Fort Hare, South Africa

• Category: Mental Health

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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