Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
Published on: August 22, 2012
Domestic chores workload and depressive symptoms among children affected by HIV/AIDS in China
Yun Yu1, Xiaoming Li, Liying Zhang
1Department of Computer and Mathematics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Insights
Children affected by HIV/AIDS in China perform more domestic chores, increasing their risk of depressive symptoms. Reducing this workload through community support is crucial for their psychological well-being.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Limited data exist on domestic chore workload's impact on children with HIV/AIDS.
- Parental HIV/AIDS significantly affects children's psychological well-being.
- Understanding domestic chore burden is vital for supporting affected children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between domestic chore workload and depressive symptoms in children affected by HIV/AIDS in China.
- To compare chore workload among orphaned, vulnerable, and comparison children.
- To identify factors influencing psychological problems in this population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a longitudinal study.
- Included 1449 children: 579 orphans, 466 vulnerable, 404 comparison.
- Multivariate linear regression analyzed chore workload and depressive symptoms.
Main Results:
- Children affected by HIV/AIDS (orphans and vulnerable) performed chores more frequently and for longer durations than comparison children.
- Domestic chore workload showed a positive association with depressive symptoms.
- Significant differences in chore burden were observed between affected and comparison groups.
Conclusions:
- Children affected by HIV/AIDS face a disproportionately high burden of domestic chores.
- Reducing excessive domestic chore workload is necessary to mitigate depressive symptoms.
- Increased community-based social support is recommended for families affected by HIV/AIDS.
Abstract:
Limited data are available regarding the effects of domestic chores workload on psychological problems among children affected by HIV/AIDS in China. The current study aims to examine association between children's depressive symptoms and the domestic chores workload (i.e., the frequency and the amount of time doing domestic chores). Data were derived from the baseline survey of a longitudinal study which investigated the impact of parental HIV/AIDS on psychological problems of children. A total of 1449 children in family-based care were included in the analysis: 579 orphaned children who lost one or both parents due to AIDS, 466 vulnerable children living with one or both parents being infected with HIV, and 404 comparison children who did not have HIV/AIDS-infected family members in their families. Results showed differences on domestic chores workload between children affected by HIV/AIDS (orphans and vulnerable children) and the comparison children. Children affected by HIV/AIDS worked more frequently and worked longer time on domestic chores than the comparison children. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that domestic chores workload was positively associated with depressive symptoms. The data suggest that children affected by HIV/AIDS may face increasing burden of domestic chores and it is necessary to reduce the excessive workload of domestic chores among children affected by HIV/AIDS through increasing community-based social support for children in the families affected by HIV/AIDS.
