Pediatric HIV social workers

Abstract

Research suggests that parents of HIV-infected children struggle with when and how to let their child know he or she is infected. To date, the literature has focused on the experiences of parents, children, and other service providers regarding issues of disclosure. However, the unique perspectives and practices of pediatric HIV social workers regarding disclosure to infected children have not been documented. A focus group was held with eight female workers to explore disclosure issues. Follow-up interviews were conducted to clarify and further explore topics. Analyses revealed four primary themes: (1) factors that influence disclosure, (2) outcomes of disclosure, (3) best practices of social workers regarding disclosure, and (4) the future of pediatric HIV social work. This project provides insight into the critical role social workers currently play in the field of pediatric HIV related to disclosure and how disclosure issues may shift in the future due to a maturing population of HIV-infected youth. Findings are also applied to uninfected children living with an HIV-infected parent.