Annie Msosa

Unmet Needs of Orphans and Their Caretakers: Health Information Needs of Caretakers of Orphans in Malawi Annie Msosa

The Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has caused a lot of pain and suffering on the people infected, their children and relatives. Children are facing the tragedy of losing one or both parents to AIDS. If one parent is infected with HIV, there is a high probability that the other parent is also infected and so the entire family is facing the threat of illness and later on death. Despite the death of these parents, the children left behind require the continuity of care. The purpose of the book is to determine the knowledge and health information needs of caretakers of orphans. Some of the questions answered are: what knowledge do the caretakers have on orphan care, what health information do they require, and what challenges do they encounter as they provide the care and what are the health risks of the orphans. The analysis has revealed the common challenges that individuals and communities who have decided to provide orphan care face. It has also unveiled the knowledge and health information needs of caretakers in orphan care in Malawi and other countries faced with the same similar challenges.