Browsing by Author "ANDREWS, BEATRICE AKOSUA"

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    Health seeking behaviour beyond biomedical care: integration of spirituality in HIV/AIDS healthcare- a case of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (Kath)
    (KNUST, 2018-11) ANDREWS, BEATRICE AKOSUA
    Spirituality, medicine, and healthcare have been related in one way or another in all population groups since the beginning of recorded history. Studies have shown that spiritual well-being is an important component of health and that it should be addressed with PLWHIV/AIDS. In Ghana, spirituality and health seeking behaviour is not new. Many people living with HIV in Ghana make use of spiritual therapy. Though there is high level of HIV stigmatization in Ghana, spiritual therapy is one pragmatic option available to people living with HIV as it helps them to find meaning to their predicament and strengthen their coping mechanisms. Medicine and other health disciplines have struggled with developing appropriate spirituality-based interventions to help people leaving with HIV (PLWHIV) especially in developing countries like Ghana where spirituality intricately influences every aspects of social life. Such interventions are not universally accepted by either clients or providers. More knowledge is needed to identify HIV-infected groups that would benefit from and accept these approaches. With the aid of theoretical literature, this research work sought to assess the health seeking behaviour of persons living with HIV/AIDS in the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi- Ghana. Through a semi-structured interview, 10 health workers and 25 PLWHIV were contacted. The results show that spirituality contributes positively to HIV/AIDS care and treatment. It was also found out that some health workers encourage spirituality as an additional treatment for HIV/AIDS treatment. In as much as spirituality is a very essential component in the treatment and care for PLWHIV, it is recommended that clients should be allowed to have some form of spiritual consultation to provide a psychological stability in the healing process.