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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Community approaches to preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission: perspectives from rural Lesotho
Authors:Towle, MeganISNI
Lende, Daniel H.ISNI
Year:2008
Periodical:African Journal of AIDS Research
Volume:7
Issue:2
Pages:219-228
Language:English
Geographic term:Lesotho
Subjects:AIDS
maternal and child health care
health education
communities
rural areas
External link:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/AJAR.2008.7.2.7.524
Abstract:The authors examine the cultural and structural difficulties surrounding effective prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) in rural Lesotho. They argue for three strategies to improve PMTCT interventions: community-based research and outreach, addressing cultural and structural dynamics, and working with the relevant social groups that impact HIV prevention. These conclusions are based on interviews and participant observation conducted within the rural Mokhotlong district and capital city of Maseru, involving women and men of reproductive age, grandmothers serving as primary caretakers, HIV/AIDS programme staff, and medical professionals. Qualitative analysis focused on rural women's sociomedical experience with the four measures of PMTCT (educational outreach, voluntary counselling and testing, antiretroviral interventions, and safe infant feeding). Based on these results, the authors conclude that intervention models must move beyond a myopic biomedical 'best-practices' approach to address the social groups and contextual determinants impacting vertical HIV transmission. Given the complexities of effective PMTCT, the results show that it is necessary to consider the biomedical system, women and children, and the community as valuable partners in achieving positive health outcomes. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract]
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