Orphans and Vulnerable Children
Gaps in Research
- 1.
- Increased financial support is needed for adults, especially grandparents, caring for orphans.
- 2.
- Increased psychosocial support is needed for caregivers.
- 3.
- Interventions are urgently needed to help girls enroll (and stay) in school.
- 4.
- HIV/AIDS programming should also reach young children.
- 5.
- Improved and timely access to antiretrovirals is needed for orphans.
- 6.
- Interventions are needed to assist parents dying of AIDS with planning for the future well-being of their children.
- 7.
- Further interventions to provide support programs, including counseling, are needed for AIDS-orphaned children to combat depression, social isolation and stigma.
- 8.
- Further interventions are needed to help female OVCs reduce risky sexual behaviors and protect them from sexual violence.
- 9.
- Programs should encourage male involvement in children’s treatment and orphan care.
- 10.
- NGO and government interventions must take care not to create dependence on externally funded services and decrease the community’s sense of responsibility for OVC.
1. Increased financial and other support is needed for adults, especially grandparents, caring for orphans. Studies found families caring for orphans lacked adequate food and nutrition and reported financial difficulties in meeting basic needs.
Gap noted, for example, in Uganda (Kintu et al., 2008); Kenya (Muga et al., 2009); Botswana (Miller et al., 2006, Heymann et al., 2007); and Malawi (Huijbregts et al., 2008).
Kintu, N., A. Kekitiinwa, S. Mccurdy, M. Kline and P. Beasley. 2008. “Effect of Caretaker Status on the Health Status of HIV Positive Children Attending Pediatric Infectious Disease Clinic, in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.” Abstract WEPE0589. XVII International AIDS Conference. Mexico City, Mexico. August 3-8.
2. Increased psychosocial support is needed for caregivers. A study found that caregivers need psychological support.
Gap noted, for example, in Tanzania.
3. Interventions are urgently needed to help girls enroll (and stay) in school. Studies found that girls affected by HIV are more likely to be out of school, despite the protective factor of education in reducing the likelihood of HIV acquisition.
Gap noted, for example, in a systematic review (Irwin et al., 2009); Thailand (Yoddumnern-Attig et al., 2004); Tanzania (Wobst and Amdt, 2004); South Africa (Horizons et al., 2004); Kenya (HRW, 2003).
Irwin, A., A. Adams, and A. Winter. 2009. Home Truths: Facing the Facts on Children, AIDS, and Poverty – Final Report of the Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS.Boston, MA: Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS (JLICA).
4. HIV/AIDS programming should also reach young children. A review found that despite the impact of investing in early childhood interventions, few HIV/AIDS programs exist for young children.
Gap noted, for example, in a systematic review (Irwin et al., 2009) and review of National Plans of Action for OVC (Engle, 2008).
Irwin, A., A. Adams, and A. Winter. 2009. Home Truths: Facing the Facts on Children, AIDS, and Poverty – Final Report of the Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS.Boston, MA: Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS (JLICA).
5. Improved and timely access to antiretrovirals is needed for orphans. A study found that orphans were more likely to be at WHO clinical stage 4, and need timely treatment initiation.
Gap noted, for example, in Uganda.
Ntanda, H., P. Olupot-Olupot, P. Mugyenyi, C. Kityo, R. Lowes, C. Cooper, V. Lima and E. Mills. 2009. “Orphanhood Predicts Delayed Access to Care in Ugandan Children.” The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal: Orphans and HIV 28(2): 153- 155.
6. Interventions are needed to assist parents to disclose and dying of AIDS with planning for the future well-being of their children. Studies found that many parents dying from AIDS had not written wills nor provided custody arrangements for their children.
Gap noted, for example, in Kenya and Tanzania.
7. Further interventions to provide support programs, including counseling, are needed for AIDS-orphaned children to combat depression, social isolation and stigma. Studies found that AIDS orphans reported insufficient food, depression and stigma.
Gap noted, for example, in Republic of the Congo (Taylor et al., 2008); Zambia (Alvarez et al., 2008); Rwanda (Thurman et al., 2008a); South Africa (Cluver et al., 2007, Cluver and Gardner, 2007); China (He et al., 2007).
Taylor, E. A. Pettifor, B. Mupenda, K. Mujalambo, C. Holub, S. Duvall, S. Rennie, and F. Behets.2008. “Knowledge of HIV Status and Wellbeing reported by HIV-positive Adolescents in Kinshasa.” Abstract WEPE0555. XVII International AIDS Conference. Mexico City, Mexico. August 3-8.
8. Further interventions are needed to help female OVCs reduce risky sexual behaviors and protect them from sexual violence. Studies found that female orphans had higher rates of early sexual debut and were more likely to have had coerced sex.
Gap noted, for example, in South Africa (McGrath et al., 2009); Zimbabwe (Kang et al., 2008, Birdthistle et al., 2008, Nyamukapa et al., 2008); Rwanda (Boris et al., 2008); Nigeria (Olaleye et al., 2008); South Africa (Thurman et al., 2006); South Africa and Swaziland (Poulsen, 2006).
9. Programs should encourage male involvement in children’s treatment and orphan care. A systematic review and several studies found that fathers are often overlooked in orphan care when the mother has died.
Gap noted, for example, in a systematic review (Sherr, 2008); South Africa (Hill et al., 2008; and Zimbabwe (Nyamukapa et al., 2005).
10. NGO and government interventions must take care not to create dependence on externally funded services and decrease the community’s sense of responsibility for OVC. An evaluation of programs providing services to orphans found that because of NGO interventions, communities believed they had no responsibilities towards caregivers and orphans.
Gap noted, for example, in Kenya and Tanzania.