Self-management guidelines for youth who have lost a family provider through HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Background: When parents die from HIV/AIDS-related causes, children often experience emotional instability and are given additional obligations, such as caring for siblings. Youths may react in a variety of ways, including increasing alcohol consumption, and their relationships with their siblings may be altered positively or negatively.

Aim: The purpose of this article is to examine the lived experiences of youths in managing themselves after losing a family member to HIV/AIDS and suggest developed guidelines for nurses to advise youths on self-management after losing a family member to HIV/AIDS.

Setting: Khayelitsha, Western Cape province, South Africa.

Method: A descriptive phenomenological design for this study was followed. The researcher conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with participants. The study was conducted with participants that were youth aged between 18 and 25 years.

Results: The study revealed that the death of a family provider can be difficult for the youth left behind to deal with the changes in their daily lives.

Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that the death of a family member has a significant impact on the family. One of the more senior family members must assume charge and remain strong to help their siblings focus on the future. The death of a family member might result in a cascade of forced changes that necessitate new behaviours to maintain stability.

Contribution: This study’s context-based data focuses on how the Community Health Centre (CHC) may assist young people in managing themselves after a family provider has died from HIV/AIDS, using the developed guidelines.