Use of Culture Care Theory with Baganda Women as AIDS Caregivers

Abstract

In Uganda, AIDS patients are increasingly cared for at home by women in their traditional role of family caregiver. This transcultural nursing study utilized Leininger's (1991) Culture Care Theory to discover the meanings, patterns, and expressions of AIDS caregiving for Baganda women. Ethnonursing, supported by life history and Leininger's (1988, 1990, 1991, 1993) Sunrise Model, was used to discover care among 12 key and 25 general Baganda informants providing AIDS caregiving to family members at home. In-depth interviews were conducted with informants selected from home-based nursing care programs in the Rakai/Masaka and Kampala areas. Data were analyzed using Leininger's (1990) Phases of Ethnonursing Analysis for Qualitative Data. Six major themes were identified. The findings highlighted the struggle of Baganda women to provide care and love for family members with AIDS, identified intergenerational care as essential for survival and prevention of HIV infection, and offered insight into improving the quality of life for those who are HIV positive. Care knowledge from these findings can be used to provide culturally congruent nursing care to Baganda families who are affected by AIDS through the three modes of action and decision of the theory.

The dyadic effects of HIV stigma on the mental health of children and their parents in South Africa

“…Increasing evidence illustrates that stigma can change the family environment, create challenges in parenting, and potentially have a negative impact on parent-child interactions (Lachman et al, 2014), which can in turn, negatively impact the mental health of children. Consistent with prior research (MacNeil, 1996; Olenja, 1999), we found that women were more likely to be caregivers of children compared to men. While we were unable to examine gender differences, caregiver burden and stigma may acerbate adverse mental health outcomes particularly among women, which can impact their ability to care for children.…”

“…A burgeoning body of global research demonstrates that the HIV/AIDS epidemic can have a detrimental effect on the mental health outcomes of children as a result of living with a parent with HIV/AIDS or through orphanhood (Chi & Li, 2013). Most often the burden of care for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS falls on women (MacNeil, 1996; Olenja, 1999). This gender differential in the burden of care can exacerbate stress on women who are already disparately engaged in family responsibilities (Kipp, Nkosi, Laing, & Jhangri, 2006).…”

Acceptability of community and health facility-based directly observed treatment of tuberculosis in Tanzanian urban setting

“…The responsibility of taking care of sick relative in most African countries is culturally defined as the women's role [19,20]. The notion that family members cannot effectively supervise DOT due to cultural, kin relationship or family ranks, was not substantiated in our study.…”

Distancing: A traditional mechanism of dealing with suicide among the Baganda, Uganda

“…The communal singing signifies the notion of togetherness during mourning. This communalism can to some extent be explained using the ''culture care theory'' (MacNeil, 1996). This theory has been applied to the Baganda and the notion of communalism has been found to be a key tenet in their traditional institution of care (MacNeil, 1996).…”