The child with HIV/AIDS: Truth Disclosure

• Autor(a) principal: Galvão, Dulce Maria Pereira Garcia
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Outros Autores: Rebelo, Cristiana, Almeida, Daniela, Vale, Mafalda
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://repositorio.esenfc.pt/?url=JU9rAciF
• topic: Child. Family. Parents. HIV/AIDS. Diagnosis disclosure

Introduction: HIV/AIDS diagnosis disclosure to children brings health benefits and less psychological damage; however, parents avoid it because of HIV-related stigma (WHO, 2011). Objective: To identify key aspects, strategies and consequences of parents' disclosure to the child with HIV/AIDS. Methods: Systematic review of studies published between January/2002 and July/2013 which, regardless of their research methodology, included parents' disclosure to the child with HIV/AIDS, according to the WHO definition, and full-text papers found in EBSCO and in CINAHL, MEDLINE, MedicLatina, Academic Search Complete and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection databases. Search keywords were: child, family, parents, mother, father, HIV/AIDS, diagnosis disclosure and its corresponding terms in Portuguese and Spanish. Studies on disclosure to children with a diagnosis other than HIV/ AIDS were excluded. A total of 1791 papers were found: 20 were selected and 9 were used. Results: Disclosure should be previously prepared. It is a responsibility of the parents/caregivers. Parents fear that their child will react to stigmatization and discrimination. Factors such as the child's age, the parents' level of education, the country's development, reluctance to take medication, and the use of antiretroviral schemes were considered. Diagnosis is partially disclosed or disclosed in a single moment, using simple explanations. It enables higher adherence to therapeutics and responsibility. Stigmatization, social isolation and discrimination are negative consequences. Conclusions: Nurses should help parents/caregivers dealing with this process. There should be a relationship of trust and preparation as to how and when diagnosis should be disclosed.