Coping: a challenge for guardians of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in a South African township

Abstract

The main objective of this study, part of an investigation into the health of guardians of HIV/AIDS orphans, was to explore the guardians' coping mechanisms. Previous research has shown that there is a relationship between the use of social support networks and the guardians' ability to cope with the challenges of caring for HIV/AIDS orphans. Data were collected by means of a socio-demographic questionnaire and individual semi-structured interviews with guardians who attend a support group organised by a non-governmental organisation in Alexandra, the oldest township in Gauteng and a very poor area of South Africa. The article concludes that harnessing social support networks is an effective strategy that could help guardians cope with the challenges of caring for HIV/AIDS orphans.

Keywords:

• Coping mechanisms
• guardians
• HIV/AIDS orphans
• social support networks

Notes

¹Protocol number MO80365, 25 March 2008.

²Although two men formed part of the baseline survey, the project focused on ‘female guardians’. Two men was too small a sample size to provide statistically representative data, so their comments were not included.

³At the time of the study, US$1 was equivalent to R.6.50 (February–March 2007).