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Exploring the experiences of women living with HIV: A qualitative study of women in Cape Town who became mothers at an early age
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613764280385536 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Sawula, Bukeka |
| author2 | De Villiers, Laing |
| author_browse | De Villiers, Laing Sawula, Bukeka |
| author_facet | De Villiers, Laing Sawula, Bukeka |
| author_sort | Sawula, Bukeka |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134382 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:19.685Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134382 Exploring the experiences of women living with HIV: A qualitative study of women in Cape Town who became mothers at an early age Sawula, Bukeka De Villiers, Laing Viljoen, Lario Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Sawula, B. 2025. Exploring the experiences of women living with HIV: A qualitative study of women in Cape Town who became mothers at an early age. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/1619a252-e919-479c-958c-465457dc28c7 South Africa has the most prominent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in the world, with approximately 7.8 million people living with HIV (PLHIV). The prevalence of HIV is higher in women compared to men in South Africa. Additionally, studies have found that the HIV epidemic disproportionately affects young women aged 15-24 years in South Africa. In 2019, 82% of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa occurred in young women. Gender-based violence against women, poverty, stigma, substance abuse, and transactional sexual relationships are common risk factors for women contracting HIV. The burden of HIV is more significant among women living with HIV who are also mothers, particularly young women who become mothers during adolescence. Young women not only face a higher risk of contracting HIV, but once diagnosed, the disease can complicate their experience of motherhood, leading to pregnancy complications, the risk of HIV transmission to their unborn children, delays in initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART), and the impact of stigma. This study aims to explore the experiences of young women living with HIV who became young mothers. I describe the contextual challenges these women encountered and identified potential strategies used by young mothers living with HIV to manage these challenges. This study is nested in HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 071 study, also known as the Population effects of Antiretroviral Therapy, to reduce HIV transmission (PopART) trial. The HPTN 071 (PopART) trial was a cluster-randomised community-based trial assessing the impact of a combination prevention package on population-level HIV incidence in Zambia and South Africa conducted between 2012-2018 (Hayes et al., 2014; Hayes et al., 2019). In the larger trial a qualitative cohort study was conducted and approximately 300 participants (180 being women) were recruited during a period of 18-24 months (Hayes et al., 2014; Hayes et al., 2019; Viljoen, 2021). Semi-structured and face-to face (individual and group) interviews were conducted with participants in their homes and in places where they spend their days. For the analysis of this study, I purposively selected 11 women living with HIV (aged between 20-47 years) who became mothers during adolescence or early adulthood (between the ages 14-25 years). Although there was a total of 16 women who disclosed to the study staff that they were living with HIV and had children, only 11 had managed to have completed interviews to be eligible for this current study. The participants of this study resided in low-income communities in the Cape Winelands, Strand and Khayelitsha of the Western Cape province of South Africa. Semi-structured interviews guided by a discussion guide were transcribed, translated from Afrikaans and IsiXhosa into English by study staff. Using a thematic analysis framework, I analysed 17 transcripts the data from the 11 women who were young mothers and had disclosed to the research assistants that they were living with HIV to make sense of participants’ subjective experiences. Three important themes, each theme accompanied by 3-4 sub-themes were identified: 1) experiences of living with HIV, 2) contextual challenges of motherhood and 3) supportive factors. The findings suggest that women who began motherhood journeys at a young age and were living with HIV continued to encounter challenges, including HIV-related stigma, emotional distress, difficulties in adhering to treatment, and experiences of physical and sexual violence. Supportive factors were identified, including social and financial support from extended family, friends, and the biological fathers of their children, access to child support facilities, and individual resilience. The findings from the study suggested that young mothers living with HIV face adversities, making it difficult to manage their health and fulfil their roles as mothers. I recommend accessible and youth-friendly healthcare services motivating young people to be tested. Improved healthcare services for young women living with HIV could address the multiple challenges they face by providing access to psychosocial support. Additionally, I recommend prioritising research programmes and funding dedicated to young mothers living with HIV (MLHIV) and their children. This study contributes to the limited body of knowledge of the experiences of adolescent mothers living with HIV. Masters 2025-11-18T11:58:43Z 2025-11-18T11:58:43Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134382 en Stellenbosch University 166 pages : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Sawula, Bukeka Exploring the experiences of women living with HIV: A qualitative study of women in Cape Town who became mothers at an early age |
| title | Exploring the experiences of women living with HIV: A qualitative study of women in Cape Town who became mothers at an early age |
| title_full | Exploring the experiences of women living with HIV: A qualitative study of women in Cape Town who became mothers at an early age |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the experiences of women living with HIV: A qualitative study of women in Cape Town who became mothers at an early age |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the experiences of women living with HIV: A qualitative study of women in Cape Town who became mothers at an early age |
| title_short | Exploring the experiences of women living with HIV: A qualitative study of women in Cape Town who became mothers at an early age |
| title_sort | exploring the experiences of women living with hiv a qualitative study of women in cape town who became mothers at an early age |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134382 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sawulabukeka exploringtheexperiencesofwomenlivingwithhivaqualitativestudyofwomenincapetownwhobecamemothersatanearlyage |