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The importance and absence of rehabilitation in HIV care in South Africa– a qualitative study

Johansson, Jacob and Plymoth, Alexander (2019)
Human Movement: health and rehabilitation
Abstract
Introduction
The global prevalence of HIV is still increasing and the AIDS epidemic has become an endemic disease for the inhabitants of South Africa. UN states that AIDS was the second leading cause of death in adolescents, age 10-19 on a worldwide basis. Southern Africa has the most densely HIV inhabited countries in the world.
In Sweden the incidence rate of HIV is 4.3 cases per 100,000 lived person-years in 2016. Sweden was also the first country in the world to reach UN’s goal of 90-90-90. These numbers infer that 90% of all people living with HIV should be aware of their HIV positive status. Further, that 90% of those with a confirmed diagnose should receive and take ARV, and that 90% of those on ARV should have durable viral... (More)
Introduction
The global prevalence of HIV is still increasing and the AIDS epidemic has become an endemic disease for the inhabitants of South Africa. UN states that AIDS was the second leading cause of death in adolescents, age 10-19 on a worldwide basis. Southern Africa has the most densely HIV inhabited countries in the world.
In Sweden the incidence rate of HIV is 4.3 cases per 100,000 lived person-years in 2016. Sweden was also the first country in the world to reach UN’s goal of 90-90-90. These numbers infer that 90% of all people living with HIV should be aware of their HIV positive status. Further, that 90% of those with a confirmed diagnose should receive and take ARV, and that 90% of those on ARV should have durable viral suppression.
Purpose The aim was to explore the lived experiences of urban physiotherapists and biokineticists in treating HIV infected patients from a phenomenological approach.
Participants Four physiotherapists and four biokineticists, seven females and one male with a median (min-max) age 29.5 (25-50) years participated in the study. Their median (min-max) time spent working with HIV was 5.5 (4-20) years.
Results The analysis resulted in seven categories, which all constituted important aspects of the overarching theme “The complex lived experiences of physiotherapists and biokineticists in treating community dwelling people with HIV”. The categories were as follows (1) Significant symptoms of HIV, (2) The progression of the disease and treatment, (3) Essential key factors of physiotherapy, (4) Influences of education and tradition, (5) Stigma – an influential challenge when treating people with HIV, (6) Funding of healthcare professionals and of ARVs in the public sector, and (7) Consequences of financial strain on quality and availability of care.
Conclusion
In the context, we have learned just how impactful the physiotherapists assets can be for the patient. Most of the interventions a physiotherapist can provide, enables a positive change in the life of the patient. Quality of life changing interventions that can be implemented not only in the hospital environment,
but also in their everyday life. Both South African health-care and patients encounters immense challenges within the South African system and infra-structure. As people with HIV live longer due to ARV therapy, physiotherapeutic interventions and treatment design for people with HIV/AIDS even in late stages are of
greater importance. Interventions proved efficient by reducing muscle tension, increasing selfesteem and improving quality of life. This rehabilitation design may be valuable for people with HIV/AIDS in Swedish healthcare. SA often have the knowledge and interventions to treat an HIVinfected individual, unfortunately other challenges are too great. In Sweden these challenges are not so great due to the Swedish standard and hopefully, maybe an increase in effectiveness treating
HIV-patients in Sweden is at hand. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Johansson, Jacob and Plymoth, Alexander
supervisor
organization
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), biokineticists, HIV, physiotherapy, stigma.
language
English
id
9076524
date added to LUP
2022-03-06 22:08:48
date last changed
2022-03-06 22:08:48
@misc{9076524,
  abstract     = {{Introduction
The global prevalence of HIV is still increasing and the AIDS epidemic has become an endemic disease for the inhabitants of South Africa. UN states that AIDS was the second leading cause of death in adolescents, age 10-19 on a worldwide basis. Southern Africa has the most densely HIV inhabited countries in the world.
In Sweden the incidence rate of HIV is 4.3 cases per 100,000 lived person-years in 2016. Sweden was also the first country in the world to reach UN’s goal of 90-90-90. These numbers infer that 90% of all people living with HIV should be aware of their HIV positive status. Further, that 90% of those with a confirmed diagnose should receive and take ARV, and that 90% of those on ARV should have durable viral suppression.
Purpose The aim was to explore the lived experiences of urban physiotherapists and biokineticists in treating HIV infected patients from a phenomenological approach.
Participants Four physiotherapists and four biokineticists, seven females and one male with a median (min-max) age 29.5 (25-50) years participated in the study. Their median (min-max) time spent working with HIV was 5.5 (4-20) years.
Results The analysis resulted in seven categories, which all constituted important aspects of the overarching theme “The complex lived experiences of physiotherapists and biokineticists in treating community dwelling people with HIV”. The categories were as follows (1) Significant symptoms of HIV, (2) The progression of the disease and treatment, (3) Essential key factors of physiotherapy, (4) Influences of education and tradition, (5) Stigma – an influential challenge when treating people with HIV, (6) Funding of healthcare professionals and of ARVs in the public sector, and (7) Consequences of financial strain on quality and availability of care.
Conclusion 
In the context, we have learned just how impactful the physiotherapists assets can be for the patient. Most of the interventions a physiotherapist can provide, enables a positive change in the life of the patient. Quality of life changing interventions that can be implemented not only in the hospital environment,
but also in their everyday life. Both South African health-care and patients encounters immense challenges within the South African system and infra-structure. As people with HIV live longer due to ARV therapy, physiotherapeutic interventions and treatment design for people with HIV/AIDS even in late stages are of
greater importance. Interventions proved efficient by reducing muscle tension, increasing selfesteem and improving quality of life. This rehabilitation design may be valuable for people with HIV/AIDS in Swedish healthcare. SA often have the knowledge and interventions to treat an HIVinfected individual, unfortunately other challenges are too great. In Sweden these challenges are not so great due to the Swedish standard and hopefully, maybe an increase in effectiveness treating
HIV-patients in Sweden is at hand.}},
  author       = {{Johansson, Jacob and Plymoth, Alexander}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The importance and absence of rehabilitation in HIV care in South Africa– a qualitative study}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}