University of Cape Coast Institutional Repository

A Systematic Review of the Mental Health of Orphans and Vulnerable Children within the Context of HIV/AIDS in Africa

Show simple item record

dc.contributor.author Narh Doku, Paul
dc.contributor.author Akohene, Kofi Mensah
dc.contributor.author Ananga, Mark Kwame
dc.contributor.author Debrah, Timothy Pritchard
dc.date.accessioned 2023-11-07T11:36:05Z
dc.date.available 2023-11-07T11:36:05Z
dc.date.issued 2019
dc.identifier.issn 2475-5435
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/10159
dc.description.abstract Global information on the HIV/AIDS epidemic indicates the existence of an ever-increasing number of orphans and vulnerable children. It has been suggested that by the end of 2020 there will be more than 25 million AIDS orphans globally. However, there is a scarcity of reliable empirical data on the mental health of orphans and vulnerable children in the context of HIV/AIDS epidemic. This systematic review provides a synthesis of empirical findings related to mental Health of Orphans and Vulnerable Children within the context of HIV/AIDS in developing countries. A bibliographic database using keywords of the research area was searched on various databases, including Medline, PsychINFO and PsycARTICLES from 1980 to 2013. Twenty-eight (28) empirical quantitative studies were identified which addressed the mental health challenges of HIV AIDS orphans and vulnerable children. The studies are mainly cross- sectional with few longitudinal. Standardized measures were used in all of the studies reviewed. Findings show that, in the context of HIV/AIDS, children are found to suffer anxiety, worrying and fear during parental infection and to express trauma and grief after parental death. Compared to other children, orphans were observed to be more depressed, anxious, and less optimistic and to display angry feelings and disruptive behaviours. There is an urgent need for rigorous, research into mental health, and risk and protective factors for children affected by AIDS. The review findings also highlighted the need for an evidence-based, coordinated approach, interventions to promote the mental health of these children. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher International Journal of Psychiatry en_US
dc.subject Orphans en_US
dc.subject Vulnerable Children en_US
dc.subject HIV/AIDS en_US
dc.subject Developing Countries en_US
dc.title A Systematic Review of the Mental Health of Orphans and Vulnerable Children within the Context of HIV/AIDS in Africa en_US
dc.type Article en_US


Files in this item

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record

Search UCC IR


Advanced Search

Browse

My Account