Depression, Mothers' Concerns and Life-Events Experienced by HIV-Positive, HIV-Negative and Mothers with Unknown HIV Status in Soweto

Abstract

The study was quasi-experimental in design and was aimed at investigating the differences between two groups of mothers, regarding their concern's depressive symptoms, life-events, and social standing. The sample comprised 40 mothers, each with at least one child aged 3 years or less, selected from the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg. Twenty mothers were HIV-positive and were attending an HIV clinic for mothers and babies, and the other 20 were either HIV-negative or did not know their status (and live a seemingly normal life). The latter group served as the control group and was comparable to the study group in terms of demographic characteristics. The study revealed no significant difference between the two groups in all the variables included in the study. The results suggest that a positive HIV status is not a significant stressor in relation to the other stressors. It is recommended that interventions for mothers in Soweto need to address the broad spectrum of life-events experienced by Soweton mothers.