The Effects of parental loss on the psychosocial wellbeing of AIDS-orphaned children living in AIDS-impacted communities: Does gender matter?

Purpose: The aims of this study are to examine the effects of parental loss on the psychosocial wellbeing of AIDS orphaned children in communities heavily affected by HIV/AIDS, and to ascertain whether boys and girls are affected differently. Methods: Baseline data from a total of 1410 adolescents (average age 12.7. years) who had lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS were utilized. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between gender and the effects of parental loss on children's psychosocial wellbeing. Results: Findings indicate that both boys and girls reported high levels of sadness, isolation, being scared and worried following parental loss. Controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, parental loss affect boys and girls differently. Specifically, orphaned girls were more likely than boys to report taking on additional household responsibilities such as taking care of a surviving parent (OR. =. 1.3, 95% CI. =. 1.0-1.7, p<. 05), taking care of small children (OR. =. 1.38, 95% CI. =. 1.1-1.8, p<. 01), starting school late (OR. =. 1.47, 95% CI. =. 1.1-1.8, p<. 01), and having less food and money in their households (OR. =. 1.4, 95% CI. =. 1.1-1.9, p<. 01). Conclusion: Study findings suggest that in communities affected by HIV/AIDS, parental loss has significant negative effects including socioeconomic and psychological distress on children -especially girls. Therefore, programs and policies that support AIDS-orphaned children in sub-Saharan Africa should work to address the psychological wellbeing of orphaned children over and above the material support they currently provide. Special attention should be paid to the girl-orphaned child, to enable them to carry out their caregiving roles without adverse impact on their own wellbeing.