Community Attitude To Home Care For Persons With Aids: A Case Study Of Alavanyo Sub-District In The Volta Region

ABSTRACT Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease caused by the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV). The disease since its discovery some two decades ago in America has assumed epidemic dimensions and has claimed millions of lives globally (Jackson, 2002). AIDS is a disease caused by the HIV that attacks and damages the body’s immune system rendering it incapacitated to fight infection. It has a long incubation period of between two to fifteen or even twenty years (MoH, 2001). The disease condition is usually associated with long period of hospitalization and very high expenditure (MoH, 2001, Nabila et al, 2001). This has prompted the need to consider alternate ways of caring for PLWHA. Home-based care where patients would receive the care they need in their usual place of residence is one option considered to reduce expenditure significantly. The success of home-based care would however depend on the care patients receive within the home with co-operation from community members. It is in the light of this that this study seeks to identify knowledge of HIV/AIDS among community members, their reaction to PLWHA and their attitudes to home care for patients. The study which has both quantitative and qualitative forms was conducted in the Alavanyo sub-district in the Volta region of Ghana. Respondents were sampled from the only urban community in the sub-district and two rural communities. It was a descriptive survey and in all 273 respondents were interviewed. All respondents had ever heard of HIV/AIDS. Ninety-two percent of respondents knew it could be prevented and many were knowledgeable about the prevention methods. Generally, knowledge was found to be very high. However, AIDS was not perceived as a problem. Just about 24 % of respondents thought AIDS was a problem. About 41 % could not tell whether AIDS was a problem whilst 26 % were of the opinion that AIDS was not a problem. About 83 % of respondents were willing to live in the same house with an infected person, whereas 78 % were willing to share the same bathroom with PLWHA. Almost 90 % of respondents were of the opinion that PLWHA should be given some form of care. However, 43.5 % opted for the provision of home care whilst 44.2% identified hospital care as a preferred place of care for PLWHA. Peoples' reaction to PLWA regarding living together and sharing the same bathroom, was very positive. The study showed that almost equal number of people would want either hospital care or home care for PLWA. The choice of hospital care for PLWA could be based on poverty of caregivers, stigmatization of family members and eventual death of the PLWA. The element of stigma can not be ruled out as the qualitative component of the study showed that PLWHA tended to be avoided by even some close relations. Denial of the disease among infected persons and their relations exist. There is the need to embark on intensified education and pragmatic measures to minimize stigma and denial. Support for PLWHA and their caregivers is a very important step that could greatly minimize stigma and denial and at the same time improve upon the well being of both the infected and affected and for that matter promote home-based care. Financial assistance, medication and counseling services for PLWHA and caregivers are essential in the success of home-based care.