Vulnerabilidade de crianças no contexto das famílias que vivem com HIV/AIDS

Abstract

The definitions of vulnerability include social, programmatic and individual vulnerability. In this study, the objective was to analyze the social, program and individual vulnerability of children in the context of families living with HIV/aids. This cross-sectional, quantitative study was undertaken at referral units for HIV/aids in Fortaleza-CE. Participants were 231 families with 271 children of up to 12 years of age, distributed in two groups: without HIV (219) and HIV+ (52). Interviews were held with caregivers, whose data were analyzed in accordance with the dimensions of social vulnerability (socioeconomic and sociodemographic conditions of the caregivers, environmental conditions and social-familial support); programmatic vulnerability (service access) and individual vulnerability (vertical transmission and health conditions). The data were processed in STATA v.11 and the vulnerability dimensions, distinguished in blocks, were analyzed using a hierarchical model. The social dimension was located at the distal end, the programmatic dimension at the intermediary level, and the individual dimension at the proximal end. The HIV diagnosis was defined as the dependent variable and the child’s age and sex as potentially confounding and adjustment factors in the final model. Bivariate analyses were used to identify proportional differences between the selected variables and the HIV diagnosis for each vulnerability dimension through the application of Pearson’s Chi-squared and Fisher’s Exact Tests. For the proportional trends between the ordinal variables and the diagnosis, the Chi-squared Test for Linear Trend was used. To estimate the magnitude of the associations, the Prevalence Ratio (PR) and 95% confidence intervals were used. As regards the social vulnerability, a significant difference was found (p=0.021) in the residences’ main source of income. The mother is the children’s main caregiver in 80% of the families. Concerning the children’s caregivers, significant differences were observed in the age range (p=0.000) and marital situation (p=0.011). What the social-familial support is concerned, a significant difference was found in orphanhood (p=0.003); it is highlighted that 46.1% of the HIV+ children are orphans. In the programmatic vulnerability, significant differences were observed between the groups of variables: delivery type (p=0.000); AZT prophylaxis during pregnancy (p=0.000); use of Bactrim® (p=0.000) and start of the AZT prophylaxis for the child (p=0.00). In the individual vulnerability, a significant difference was found in the variables: breastfeeding (p=0.000); at what age the child was taken to the service for HIV monitoring (p=0.000) and administration of AZT to the child (p=0.015). It is postulated that the occurrence of HIV+ is associated with structural or basic causes, represented by the individuals’ socioeconomic conditions. Therefore, the social (distal) characteristics have a negative influence on the other dimensions and ratify that precarious survival conditions leverage the HIV+ diagnosis and deprive these families with HIV. Hence, the final model with the social + programmatic + individual dimensions + child’s age + sex + interaction between age and sex combined contributed to explain 31.0% of the cases of HIV+ children. In view of the above, it is urgent to integrate different areas in order to comply with the prevention measures of Vertical Transmission, considering that the children exposed to HIV/aids are inserted in vulnerable environments. Therefore, they need to be guaranteed access to the health services through the decentralization of the care services. Also, the specialized services need to be expanded in order to minimize the social, programmatic and individual vulnerability that affects this population.