Parents-initiated interventions to prevent HIV among adolescents in Swaziland

Abstract

Research has identified the important role that effective parent-adolescent communication about sex and relationships signifies in reducing the chances of adolescents engaging in risky sexual behaviour. However, many parents find it difficult to discuss issues related to HIV prevention at family level because HIV prevention is inherently linked to sex, which is still regarded as a taboo in some countries, including the country of the study, Swaziland. In addition to cultural barriers related to effective parent-adolescent communication, parents seem to lack the knowledge, approach as well as the confidence regarding communication about sex and relationships. The purpose of the study was to use appreciative inquiry (AI) to engage parents of adolescents in the design of interventions to prevent HIV among adolescents in Swaziland. Non-probability, purposive sampling was used to select parents of adolescent children (10-19 years) attending school at the two purposively selected high schools in Manzini. Twenty-four (24), 23 female and 1 male parents took part in AI. Participatory action research was conducted to involve participants actively in the process of initiating interventions for preventing HIV among adolescents. The process was guided by appreciative inquiry. Data was collected by means of appreciative interviews, comprising paired and focus group interviews according to different phases of the 4-D cycle of AI. Thematic analysis of data was done throughout the 4-D cycle of AI. The themes that emerged from appreciative stories of exceptional experiences shared during the discovery phase were perceived gains and open communication. The findings of the dream phase included expressed wishes for open parent-adolescent sexual health communication, support for parents and a community of HIV free adolescents. In the design phase, parents constructed and initiated interventions for effective parent-adolescent sexual health communication and parental comfort with communication about sex. In the destiny phase, parents made statements, which were based on what they committed to do to prevent HIV among adolescents.

Lucwaningo lukhombisa bumcoka bekukhumisana kahle kwemtali nemtfwana loyinsha ngetindzaba tebundlelwane bebantfu labatsandzanako netekulalana kuze kutsi kunciphe kutsi intsha ingabi sengotini yekutfola ligciwane HIV. Kodvwa kubatali labanyenti kulukhuni kukhulumisana nentsha ngetindzaba tekutivikela kuHIV emakhaya ngoba kukhuluma ngalendzaba kufaka ekhatsi tekulalana lokuselichilo kukhuluma ngako emaveni lamanyeti lokufaka ekhatsi leSwatini lapho kwetiwa khona lolucwaningo. Lokunye lokuvimbela kutsi batali bangakhulumi ngalendzaba ngaphandle kwekutsi kulichilo, kutsi batali baswele lwati nekutsi abati kutsi bangayingena njani intsha, kanye nekutsi abatetsembi kutsi bangakhona kukhuluma ngebudlelwane bebantfu labatsandanako kanye nekulalana. Injongo yalolucwaningo bekukusebentisa indlela yekubuketa lokuhle kubatali labakwentako mayelana nekukhulumisana nentsha kuze kutsi bakhe tindlela letingito tokutivikela intsha kuHIV Eswatini. Indlela labakhetfwe ngayo batali labangene lolucwaningo bakhetfwe ngokutsi banebantfwana bentsha labaneminyaka lelishumi kuya kulabo labanelishumi nemfica labafundza etikolweni letimbili letiphakeme letikhetsiwe kaManzini. Babangemashumi lamabili nesine batali labatfolakala kungenela lolucwaningo. Batali babamdzibi munye nebacwaningi kuloluhlelo lokuhlela tindlela tekuvikela iHIV kubantfwana labayintsha. Kwakusetjentiswa tindlela letibuka lokuhle lokwetiwe batali. Imibuto beyihlose kubuta ngalokuhle kodvwa. Imivo yebatali yatfolakala nekutsi bacale babutana bodvwana besebakhulunyiswa baticagogwana ngekwehlukana kwaletigaba letine talolucwaningo. Kuhlanganisa kwemivo kwentiwa ngekutsi kubuketwe tingcikitsi kutotonkhe tigaba talolucwaningo. Tingcikitsi letaphuma kuletingcoco esigabeni sekucala lapho bebakhuluma ngetikhatsi letinhle letabayimphumelelo lapho bebakhumisana nentsha ngekulalana nangeHIV, batsi bevakunemphumelelo nekubhobokelana ekhatsi kwebatali nebantfwana. Ngalesikhatsi sesigaba sekubeka emaphupho abo basho batsi bafisa kube nekubhobokelana phakatsi kwebatali nentsha mayelana nekulhulumisana ngekulalana. Lokunye labakufisile kutsi basekelwe basitwe ngekutsi intsha ikhulunyiswa njani. Ngesikhatsi sesigaba sesitsatfu sekubuketwa kutsi kungentiwani kutsi batali nebantfwana bakhulumisana ngetindzaba tekutsandzana kanye nekulalana batali babhala imivo labo. Ngemuva kwaloko benta tivumelwano tekutsi batakwentanjani uma sebabuyela emakhaya kuze bakhone kuvikela bantfwana bentsha kuHIV.