Breaking the silence: the need for counselling of HIV/AIDS patients

The care and management of persons with HIV infection and AIDS pose tremendous challenges to families, as individuals with the disease will more likely be taken care of within their homes when discharged from hospital. For effective care to be provided, relatives and families must be able to provide emotional, psychological and socioeconomic support. The capacity of the relatives to cope with the burden of an individual with HIV/AIDS--a terminal illness often associated with stigma in many communities--may be a major determinant for acceptance or rejection of the HIV/AIDS individual. Below, a report on a study to identify the possible factors that influence the capacity of relatives and family to cope with the needs of the patient with HIV/AIDS in an urban Zambian community.