Abstract:
As an increasing number of children infected with HIV live to older ages, the question of disclosure of the diagnosis to the child becomes crucial. The purpose of this study was to determine the Prevalence of HIV disclosure to infected children, the factors which could influence the caretaker's decision to disclose as well as their perception of the appropriate time for disclosure. Cross sectional survey using quantitative methods was used to answer the research objectives. A total of 285 caretakers were interviewed. The study revealed that prevalence of HIV disclosure in caretaker 32.9%(95% CI 22.3-43.4%) and level of education of the caretaker 31.4%(22.7 -40.2% ),the age of the child was also considered as important factor for disclosure to take place, as the age of the child increased so did the disclosure (p- value< 0.001 trend set chi square =47.8).Caretakers gave the age range of 10-12 as appropriate to start having discussions and disclosure to the children about their serostatus.Accessibilty to ARV regimens and reducing child's anxiety and depression were some of the factors mentioned that could influence their decision to disclose. No guidelines exist in Tanzania on pediatrics disclosure of HI V, there's need for the preparation of the guidelines as infected children are now surviving to older ages, and having knowledge of their serostatus could lead to improvement in their quality of life.
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