THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS IN CENTURION, GAUTENG ...

118 Pages·2014·1.28 MB·English

THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS IN CENTURION,
GAUTENG PROVINCE

by

TSITSI NYASHA MAKOMBE

submitted in accordance with the requirements for
the degree of

MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH

at the

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA

Supervisor: MS. DSK HABEDI

&

Co-supervisor: PROF. T. MGUTSHINI

JUNE 2014
DEDICATION

To my parents, who always stood behind me and knew I would succeed. Gone now but
never forgotten. Your words of inspiration and encouragement in pursuit of excellence
still linger on.

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DECLARATION

I declare that THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS IN
CENTURION, GAUTENG PROVINCE is my own work and that all the sources that I
have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete
references and that this work has not been submitted before any other degree at any
other institution.

FULL NAMES: TSITSI NYASHA MAKOMBE STUDENT NUMBER: 4701-841-0

______________________ 07/10/2014
SIGNATURE DATE

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the following people:

 Ms. Habedi and Professor Mgutshini, my thesis supervisors, for their teaching,
guidance and advice throughout the course of this research,
 The participants, for sharing their time, feelings and experiences with me,
 My husband, Noble, for his constant encouragement and belief in me,
 My son, Panashe, for his understanding and patience the time I had to be away
to concentrate on my study,
 Mr. Maseko, for his critical reading and editing of this research and
 Finally, to the Almighty God for giving me the opportunity and the brains, I would
not have achieved this far without his mercy.
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ABSTRACT

This qualitative study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of women living
with HIV and Aids in Centurion, Gauteng Province. The study was conducted at
Lyttleton clinic and 12 women living with HIV and Aids were selected for the study using
a non-probability, purposive sampling technique. In-depth, individual semi-structured
interviews were used during data collection. A thematic content approach in data
analysis yielded the following main themes: experience of being diagnosed HIV positive,
disclosure of an HIV positive status, physical signs and symptoms of HIV and Aids,
stigma/ emotional stress well experiences in services rendered. The study highlighted
the need for a well-established health system, assisting women living with HIV and Aids
on how to cope and to raise awareness on HIV and Aids.

KEY CONCEPTS
Experiences, HIV and Aids, women living with HIV and Aids, Centurion, Gauteng
Province, thematic content analysis.
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Table of Contents

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................................... i
DECLARATION .......................................................................................................................................... ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................ iii
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................ iv
CHAPTER 1: ORIENTATION TO THE STUDY .................................................................................... 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 1
1.2 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE OF THE RESEARCH STUDY ................................... 2
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM ................................................................... 4
1.4 AIM OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................................. 5
1.4.1 Research questions .................................................................................................................... 6
1.4.2 Research objectives ................................................................................................................... 6
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................ 6
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS .......................................................................................................... 6
1.7 FOUNDATIONS OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................... 7
1.7.1 Research paradigm .................................................................................................................... 7
1.8 RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................................ 8
1.9 RESEARCH METHODS ........................................................................................................... 9
1.9.1 Research setting ......................................................................................................................... 9
1.9.2 Research population ................................................................................................................ 10
1.9.3 Sample and sampling technique ............................................................................................ 11
1.9.4 Sample size ............................................................................................................................... 11
1.9.5 Inclusion criteria ........................................................................................................................ 12
1.9.6 Exclusion criteria ....................................................................................................................... 12
1.10 DATA COLLECTION ............................................................................................................... 12
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1.11 DATA ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................... 14
1.12 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY..................................................................... 14
1.13 STRUCTURE OF DISSERTATION ....................................................................................... 14
1.14 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 15
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................. 16
2.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 16
2.2 PRE-REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................................................... 17
2.3 DATA SEARCH STRATEGY.................................................................................................. 18
2.4 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION OF STUDIES WITHIN THE REVIEW ........ 20
2.5 REVIEW REMIT ....................................................................................................................... 20
2.6 PHYSICAL EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS ....................... 24
2.6.1 Violence ...................................................................................................................................... 24
2.6.2 Forced or coerced sterilisation ................................................................................................ 25
2.6.3 Physical pain.............................................................................................................................. 26
2.7 SOCIAL EXPERIENCES ........................................................................................................ 27
2.7.1 Stigma ......................................................................................................................................... 27
2.7.2 Disintegration of family and support system ......................................................................... 28
2.7.3 Constraints on adhering to treatment .................................................................................... 29
2.8 EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES................................................................................................ 30
2.9 SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES .................................................................................................. 31
2.10 CULTURAL ............................................................................................................................... 34
2.11 OTHER EXPERIENCES ......................................................................................................... 35
2.11.1 Death .......................................................................................................................................... 35
2.11.2 Psychological stress and feelings of powerlessness .......................................................... 37
2.12 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 38
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CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ........................................................... 39
3.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 39
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN .............................................................................................................. 39
3.2.1 Exploratory design .................................................................................................................... 39
3.2.2 Descriptive design .................................................................................................................... 39
3.3 RESEARCH METHOD ............................................................................................................ 40
3.3.1 Sampling .................................................................................................................................... 40
3.3.2 Population .................................................................................................................................. 41
3.3.3 Ethical issues related to sampling .......................................................................................... 41
3.3.4 Sample ....................................................................................................................................... 43
3.3.5 Data collection ........................................................................................................................... 43
3.3.6 Data analysis ............................................................................................................................. 46
3.4 MEASURES TO ENSURE TRUSTWORTHINESS OF THE STUDY .............................. 47
3.4.1 Credibility.................................................................................................................................... 48
3.4.2 Dependability ............................................................................................................................. 48
3.4.3 Confirmability ............................................................................................................................. 48
3.4.4 Transferability ............................................................................................................................ 48
3.5 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 49
CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS 50
4.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 50
4.2 FIELDWORK EXPERIENCE .................................................................................................. 50
4.3 DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS .............................................................................. 52
4.4 SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS .............................................................................................. 53
4.4.1 Biographic information ............................................................................................................. 54
4.5 RESEARCH FINDINGS .......................................................................................................... 54
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4.5.1 Experience of being diagnosed with HIV and Aids .............................................................. 56
4.5.2 Disclosure .................................................................................................................................. 60
4.5.3 Physical signs and symptoms of HIV and Aids .................................................................... 64
4.5.5 Experience in services rendered ............................................................................................ 68
4.6 DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS .......................................................................... 70
4.7 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 72
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................... 73
5.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 73
5.2 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD .................................................................................. 73
5.3 SUMMARY AND INTERPRETATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS ................................. 74
5.3.1 Experiences of being diagnosed with HIV and Aids ............................................................ 74
5.3.2 Disclosure .................................................................................................................................. 75
5.3.3 Physical signs and symptoms ................................................................................................. 75
5.3.4 Stigma and emotional stress ................................................................................................... 75
5.3.5 Experience of services rendered ............................................................................................ 76
5.4 CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................................... 77
5.5 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE ............................................................................ 77
5.6 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ...................................................... 78
5.7 CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................... 78
5.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................. 79
5.9 CONCLUDING REMARKS ..................................................................................................... 79
6. LIST OF REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 81
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AIDS Acquired immune – deficiency syndrome
CDC Center for disease control
HIV Human immune-deficiency virus
PLHIV People living with HIV and Aids
ART Anti-retroviral treatment
LP Lyttleton participant
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