TY - JOUR AU - Trejos, Ana María AU - Tuesca, Rafael de Jesús AU - Mosquera, Mario PY - 2011/04/11 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Children affected with HIV/AIDS: Information of HIV/AIDS in five Colombian cities* JF - Colombia Medica JA - Colomb Med VL - 42 IS - 1 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.25100/cm.v42i1.749 UR - https://colombiamedica.univalle.edu.co/index.php/comedica/article/view/749 SP - 39-47 AB - <small><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Objectives:</span> To describe information about HIV/AIDS in a youth population under 18 years of age affected with HIV/AIDS and caregivers in five Colombian cities: Cali, Buenaventura, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, and Cartagena. </span><br style="font-family: Arial;" /> <span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Methods:</span> 286 personal surveys were conducted: 11 of children who were aware of their status of involvement with HIV/AIDS and 275 of caregivers of children who did not know their status of involvement with HIV/AIDS. The surveys were conducted in health institutions in the State and private sectors and private, using instruments in line with training programs from participating institutions to inquire about HIV/AIDS. Descriptive analysis was performed of the data and tabulation was done with the SPSS program.</span><br style="font-family: Arial;" /> <span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Results:</span> Most children who knew their status of involvement with HIV/AIDS report that by acquiring the HIV virus, they may develop other diseases; however, half of these fail to recognize that AIDS weakens the body’s ability to fight infection. The children surveyed partly recognized the HIV/AIDS transmission and treatment mechanisms, while caregivers possess adequate information on the disease. We found reasons to delay the delivery of diagnosis by caregivers 96.2% (N=275) related to avoiding psychological harm to the children, and that if they were to know said status, they might inadvertently disclose this to others, probably exposing them to stigma and/or discrimination. Likewise, professionals providing health services to HIV seropositive children express lack of training regarding the proper procedure and age to reveal such information.</span><br style="font-family: Arial;" /> <span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusions:</span> It is a priority to enhance the capacity, information, and education of patients about effects, characteristics, manifestations, and treatment of the disease within the comprehensive health management processes conducive to supporting affected families.</span></small> ER -