Biomedical risk, psychosocial influences, and developmental outcomes: lessons from the pediatric HIV population in Africa

Authors

Amina Abubakar, Aga Khan UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Department

Institute for Human Development

Abstract

Abstract: Sub‐Saharan Africa is home to millions of HIV‐affected children. These children are likely to experience multiple developmental delays. In this chapter, I present data highlighting compromised neurobehavioral, mental health, and scholastic outcomes for children affected by HIV. Furthermore, I discuss biomedical factors (e.g., disease severity and nutritional status) that may exacerbate the adverse effects of HIV on childhood outcomes. I also present evidence on how psychosocial risk factors such as poor maternal mental health, orphanhood, and poverty may aggravate the effects of HIV. The concluding section of the chapter highlights conceptual and methodological refinements in research on the impact of HIV on child development in Sub‐Saharan Africa.

Comments

This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University.

Publication (Name of Journal)

New directions for child and adolescent development

Recommended Citation

Abubakar, A. (2014). Biomedical risk, psychosocial influences, and developmental outcomes: lessons from the pediatric HIV population in Africa. New directions for child and adolescent development, 2014(146), 23-41.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_ihd/125