Journal of Perioperative & Critical Intensive Care Nursing
Open Access

Abstract

Guidelines for Nurses on Guiding Young Individuals on Self-Management Following the Death of a Family Member to HIV/AIDS

Siphesihle Delani Hlophe

The fatalities caused by HIV/AIDS frequently lead to mental distress among young individuals and impose additional obligations on their parents, such as assuming the care of younger siblings. Youths may respond in many forms, such as increasing alcohol usage and relationships with their siblings may be positively or negatively affected. Individuals experiencing distress often exhibit a heightened prevalence of depression, which subsequently diminishes their inclination to partake in proactive self-management techniques, such as physical activity. Adolescents seek medical care in public hospitals for a range of reasons, such as experiencing panic attacks and anxiety, which frequently occur following the death of a relative. The researcher has found an upsurge in youths visiting a comprehensive primary healthcare clinic in Cape Town after being traumatised due to the demise of a family member. The purpose of this study was to develop guidelines for nurses at a comprehensive primary healthcare clinic in Cape Town with which to advise youths on self-management following the loss of a family member with HIV/AIDS. The Khayelitsha Site B comprehensive primary healthcare study in the Western Cape province of South Africa utilised a descriptive phenomenological design. The sample was chosen using purposive sampling until data saturation was reached. Individual semi-structured interviews with 11 participants achieved data saturation. During the interviews, a structured questionnaire and written observations were employed. The interviews took place in a secluded area where young individuals aged 18 to 25 who had experienced the loss of a family member due to HIV/AIDS visited a comprehensive primary healthcare clinic in Cape Town. The study employed interpretative phenomenological analysis, revealing that time-related conditions shape behaviour concerning death. Individuals who experience the sudden loss of a family member undergo distinct phases of mourning, encompassing a spectrum of emotions, including denial and eventual acceptance. This bereaved individual also must confront challenging alterations in their daily routines and as a result, requires supportive measures. While assuming responsibility for assisting individuals whom the departed individual previously helped, they may sacrifice their aspirations. Unpleasant encounters overshadowed recollections of positive moments with the departed and individuals primarily prioritised acquiring support systems to progress. The study's results have the potential to be advantageous for the wider nursing community and offer self-management recommendations for young individuals seeking care at a comprehensive primary healthcare clinic in Cape Town following the loss of a family member due to HIV/AIDS

Published Date: 2025-02-12;