The psycho-social challenges faced by HIV/AIDS lay counsellors at health facilities in the Eastern Cape

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to explore the psycho-social challenges faced by HIV/AIDS lay counsellors at health facilities in the Eastern Cape. Specific reference is made to the experiences, stressors and challenges that lay counsellors encounters on a daily basis.Counselling forms an integral part of the social care of the community health environment as it provides a platform for disclosure, debriefing, clarity seeking and advice for those in need. HIV and AIDS counselling is an important psycho-social service especially for HIV testing because of psycho-social issues concerning the test and the results thereof. According to Birdsall, Hajiyiannis, Nkosi and Parker (2004) HIV/AIDS lay counsellors are not always working in a supportive environment that enables a quality counselling process. Moreover, it is critical to understand the HIV/AIDS lay counsellor as a whole person and to consider the psycho-social challenges they face in providing counselling to the client and in establishing networks of social support for the clients.The research participants adopted coping mechanisms to process their challenges at their own level and time. Formal support structures are recommended in this study to help prevent psychological damage and a high turnover in lay counsellors.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University