Dr Michael Evangeli, from the Clinical Psychology department, in collaboration with partners in Botswana, has completed a three-year study which revealed the support by a charity set up by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, improved the well-being of 10- to 19-year-olds with HIV.
Dr Evangeli completed the study, funded by ViiV, on the effect having more support and information surrounding HIV had on young people by attending camps and clubs offered by the Sentebale charity.
He presented the findings during an event attended by representatives from the Botswana Government, UNICEF and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), in Gaborone, Botswana. Download the report here (PDF, 1.4 MB).
The research took place in 14 sites across Botswana with both young people and caregivers, who agreed that the clubs and camp were a supportive environment and brought a sense of togetherness, acceptance and freedom to be themselves.
Young people, in particular, felt a lot of gratitude towards the programme and wanted it to continue or expand to other locations. Both caregivers and young people also felt that the intervention changed their perception of their HIV diagnosis, making them more optimistic about the future.
The young people and caregivers also reported positive attitudes towards taking medication, high self-esteem, strong social support and a positive sense of hope.
The report found there were reductions in mental health symptoms for young people and an increase in HIV knowledge for both young people and caregivers.
Dr Evangeli, said: “The results not only show positive outcomes for those in Botswana but also have implications for young people with HIV globally. This gives us a greater understanding of how young people and their caregivers are coping and how the support from Sentebale translates into improved wellbeing. Many young people who are diagnosed with HIV feel very alone with their condition and may have only recently been told they are HIV positive. The Sentebale Charity helps them to interact with others who understand the concerns they face. Many times, young people with HIV are told not to talk about HIV to others in their community, so start to feel isolated. This is where projects like this really can change the lives of those affected by HIV.”
Sentebale aims to enable young people with HIV to live a healthy and hopeful life, increase confidence, improve educational and occupational functioning, increase care and support, enhance HIV communication, increase caregiver support, reduce onward transmission, and increase adherence to life-saving HIV medication.
Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho started the charity in 2006, to help vulnerable children and young people (many with HIV) in Lesotho – a low-income country landlocked by South Africa, and launched the charity in Botswana in 2016.
The young people helped by Sentebale were born with HIV due to their mothers having the disease and many are orphans.
Special camps and clubs were run for those taking part where they learn about medication, such as what is available and how they should take it, to being educated about HIV and what support is out there for them.
The research for the study was carried out in Botswana with the help of ACHAP, which provides technical assistance and health-focused capacity-building and has successfully supported HIV and TB prevention, care and treatment.
