Strategies for Enhancing Family Support for People Living with Hiv and Aids in Delta State Nigeria

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine strategies for enhancing family support for people living with HIV and AIDS in Delta State Nigeria.In carrying out the research, seven research questions and seven null hypotheses were formulated for the study. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The population for the study was 27,216 PLWHIV/AIDS and comprising also of family members of PLWHIV and AIDS, all NGO’s such as civil societies, donor agencies and prevention programme experts; public and private healthcare workers, government agencies in the urban and rural communities of Delta State who were directly involved in the provision of support to family members living with or affected by HIV and AIDS.. This consists of PLWHIV and AIDS, members of families of PLWHIV and AIDS, persons from NGO’s, persons from public and private healthcare workers, as well as persons from government agencies.The sample for this study was 669 persons selected from the different groups of the population using simple random sampling technique.This consisted of 63 persons for focused group discussion and 606 persons for the questionnaire. The sample was selected using simple random sampling technique. For the focus group discussion, the sample consists of 33 persons living with HIV and AIDS as well as 30 persons who are family members of people living with HIV and AIDS. For the questionnaire, the sample consists of 205 PLWHIV and AIDS, 205 members of families of PLWHIV and AIDS, 10 persons from NGO’s, 126 persons from public and private healthcare workers, as well as 60 persons from government agencies. Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Focus group discussion using structured questions as contained in copies of the questionnaire was also used to collect information for the study. The instrument was validated by five experts. The reliability of the instrument was established by administering twelve copies of the questionnaire to people living with HIV and AIDS, people from nuclear and extended families, as well as some members of the Family of People Living With HIV and AIDS. An overall reliability coefficient of 0.61 was obtained. Data collected for the study was analyzed using mean. t-test for independent samples was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant. The findings revealed that PLWHIV&AIDS require14 nutritional strategies from their families, 16 medical support strategies from their families, nine emotional support strategies, 15 socio-economic support strategies. It was also found that families of PLWHIV and AIDS face 45 challenges in rendering support to PLWHIV and AIDS, while PLWHIV and AIDS face 15 challenges in receiving support from their family members. Also, it was found that there are 28 families strengthening strategies in supporting PLWHIV&AIDS.The findings of the study revealed that there was a significant difference in the responses of families of PLWHIV&AIDS and families of PLWHIV&AIDS on the nutritional support strategies PLWHIV&AIDS require from their families. From the findings, it was revealed that there was a significant difference in the responses of families of PLWHIV&AIDS and PLWHIV&AIDS on the emotional support strategies PLWHIV&AIDS require from their families. The study revealed that there is a significant difference in the responses of PLWHIV&AIDS and families of PLWHIV&AIDS on the challenges families face in rendering support to PLWHIV and AIDS. Based on the findings of this work, seven recommendations were made which include: PLWHIV and AIDS should not complain so much about the ways their family members are rendering support to them, they should also appreciate the effort being made by their family members to help them, among others. This will motivate their family members in being more patient with them; families of PLWHIV and AIDS should be patient and adopt the necessary strategies in rendering nutritional, medical, emotional, economic, and social support to PLWHIV and AIDS, among other recommendations.Suggestions for further study were also made.