The development of a self-management intervention for adolescents living with HIV in a South African context : views of experts and key stakeholders

Date
2022-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Background Globally, many adolescents are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In South Africa, an estimated 360 000 adolescents were living with HIV in 2019. Adolescents also have poor health outcomes when compared to adults and children living with HIV. HIV is no longer recognised as an acute but rather a chronic condition involving lifelong medication and long-term holistic support and care. Self-management is an approach that may be helpful in changing behaviours, which could essentially lead to positive health outcomes. More research on self-management interventions is needed in the South African context to serve the unique needs of the adolescents to improve their treatment outcomes and quality of life. An adolescent HIV self-management intervention was developed in the context of South Africa using intervention mapping. As part of the development process, expert and stakeholder input is required. Aim: The study aimed to explore the views of experts and key stakeholders as part of the development of a self-management intervention for ALWH in a South African context, to refine the intervention. Methods For this study, a descriptive qualitative design was used. The intervention’s content validity was determined by consulting nine national and international experts. Moreover, the revised intervention was presented to 18 key stakeholders (11 adolescents living with HIV and 7 healthcare workers) during four focus groups in the Cape Metropole of the Western Cape to obtain further feedback. Data were analysed using the content validity index (CVI) and thematic analysis. Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the University of Stellenbosch, and permission was obtained from the Western Cape Department of Health. The researcher aimed to meet the four criteria of dependability, confirmability, credibility, and transferability to ensure trustworthiness. Results: Item relevancy for all the components (outcomes, objectives, strategies, format, setting, timing, and facilitators) had a CVI rating of more than 0.8, indicating validity. Experts and key stakeholders agreed on the need for and importance of the intervention, emphasising the focus on ALWH’s well-being, and objectives and content beyond HIV. The practical strategies appeared acceptable and feasible, but individual counselling/coaching may require additional human resource support. Components were revised based on the feedback, and several parameters for effective implementation were identified. Conclusion: Progress in health outcomes among ALWH is lagging. Interventions and programmes that are showing promising results in supporting ALWH should be placed at the forefront of development. Following further refinement, this intervention might be a solution to ALWH in South Africa and the African context, which may support and guide them and healthcare workers in reaching treatment targets and ensuring a thriving population of ALWH.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Wêreldwyd is daar heelwat adolessente wat met die menslike immuniteitsgebrekvirus (MIV) leef. Na raming het daar in 2019 360 000 adolessente met MIV (ALMM) in Suid-Afrika geleef. Adolessente het ontoereikende gesondheidsuitkomste in vergelyking met volwassenes en kinders wat met MIV leef. MIV word nie meer as 'n akute toeskand beskou nie, maar eerder 'n chroniese toestand wat die gebruik van lewenslange medikasie en langtermyn holistiese ondersteuning en sorg behels. Selfbestuur is 'n benadering wat nuttig kan wees om gedrag te verander wat in wese tot positiewe gesondheidsuitkomste kan lei. Meer navorsing in selfbestuur-intervensies is nodig in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks om in die unieke behoeftes van die adolessente te voorsien en sodoende hul behandelingsuitkomste en lewenskwaliteit te verbeter. 'n Adolessent MIV-selfbestuursintervensie is in die konteks van Suid-Afrika ontwikkel deur intervensiekartering te gebruik. As deel van die ontwikkelingsproses word insette van kundiges en belanghebbendes vereis. Doel: Die studie het ten doel gehad om die sienings van kundiges en sleutelbelanghebbendes te verken as deel van die ontwikkeling van 'n selfbestuur-intervensie vir ALMM in 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, om die intervensie te verfyn. Metode: Vir hierdie studie is 'n beskrywende kwalitatiewe ontwerp gebruik. Die inhoudsgeldigheid van die intervensie is bepaal deur nege nasionale en internasionale kundiges te raadpleeg. Die hersiene intervensie is tydens vier fokusgroepe in die Kaapse Metropool van die Wes-Kaap aan 18 sleutelbelanghebbendes (11 adolessente wat met MIV leef en 7 gesondheidsorgwerkers) aangebied om verdere terugvoer te verkry. Data is ontleed deur die inhoudsgeldigheidsindeks (IGI) en tematiese analise te gebruik. Etiese goedkeuring is verkry van die Gesondheidsnavorsingsetiekkomitee van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch asook toestemming van die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Gesondheid. Om betroubaarheid te verseker het die navorser daarop gemik om aan die vier kriteria van betroubaarheid, bevestigbaarheid, geloofwaardigheid en oordraagbaarheid te voldoen. Resultate: Itemrelevansie vir al die komponente (uitkomste, doelwitte, strategieë, formaat, opset, tydsberekening en fasiliteerders) het 'n IGI-gradering van meer as 0.8 gehad wat geldigheid aandui. Kundiges en sleutelbelanghebbendes het saamgestem oor die behoefte aan en belangrikheid van die intervensie, met die klem op die fokus op die welstand van ALMM, en doelwitte en inhoud buite MIV. Die praktiese strategieë blyk aanvaarbaar en uitvoerbaar te wees, maar individuele berading/afrigting kan addisionele menslike hulpbronondersteuning vereis. Komponente is hersien op grond van die terugvoer en verskeie parameters vir effektiewe implementering is geïdentifiseer. Slotsom: Vordering in gesondheidsuitkomste van ALMM is agterweë. Intervensies en programme wat belowende resultate toon om ALMM te ondersteun, moet op die voorpunt vir ontwikkeling geplaas word. Na verdere verfyning, kan hierdie ingryping 'n oplossing vir ALMM in Suid-Afrika en die Afrika-konteks wees om hulle en gesondheidsorgwerkers te ondersteun en te lei om behandelingsteikens te bereik en 'n florerende bevolking van ALMM te verseker.
Description
Thesis (MNur)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
AIDS (Disease) in adolescence -- South Africa, Teenagers -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa, AIDS (Disease) in adolescence -- Social aspects -- South Africa, Teenagers -- Diseases -- South Africa, UCTD
Citation