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HIV Infections · Journal article
Global Public Health · September 11, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This qualitative study of 20 mothers in Worcester, South Africa documents caregiving challenges and support needs for children who are HIV exposed and uninfected, using the Nurturing Care Framework. The findings indicate that maternal concerns extend beyond HIV status confirmation to encompass child health and development, with caregiving hindered by financial constraints, heavy demands, maternal poor health, and limited partner/family support—barriers intensified by maternal HIV and child HIV exposure. The work is descriptive and hypothesis-generating rather than confirmatory, and does not provide quantified outcomes or intervention testing.
Qualitative exploratory study using in-depth interviews and reflexive thematic analysis. Mothers raising young children (>1 year old) who are HIV exposed and uninfected, tested HIV negative at 12 months, in Worcester, Western Cape, South Africa.. n = 20. Worcester, Western Cape, South Africa.
Sample comprised 20 mothers of children >1 year old who tested HIV negative at 12 months in the Western Cape, South Africa Mothers' concerns persisted beyond ruling out HIV to encompass overall health and development of child during early years Nurturing care practices were hindered by structural challenges: financial constraints, heavy caregiving demands, maternal poor health, and limited partner/family support
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Clinicians and programme managers in high-HIV-prevalence settings should recognise that maternal anxiety and caregiving burden extend beyond HIV transmission fears to encompass broader child development concerns, and that implementation of supportive frameworks must address structural barriers including economic constraints, partner/family engagement, and maternal health to be effective.
A small qualitative study (n=20) using reflexive thematic analysis to explore caregiving experiences in a specific setting; generates descriptive insights about needs and barriers but lacks quantitative outcomes, control group, or generalizability beyond the studied population.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Clinicians and programme managers in high-HIV-prevalence settings should recognise that maternal anxiety and caregiving burden extend beyond HIV transmission fears to encompass broader child development concerns, and that implementation of supportive frameworks must address structural barriers including economic constraints, partner/family engagement, and maternal health to be effective.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
In high HIV prevalence settings, pregnancy and early childhood can be stressful periods for mothers with HIV, due to fear of HIV transmission, breastfeeding concerns, poor health and socio-economic challenges. Not much is known about how mothers of young children who are HIV exposed and uninfected (HEU) experience caregiving before and beyond the confirmation of their HIV-negative status. Using the Nurturing Care Framework for early childhood development, this qualitative study explores the caregiving experiences, challenges, and support needs of mothers raising young children who are HEU. Conducted in the Western Cape, South Africa, the study involved in-depth interviews with 20 mothers whose children were exposed to HIV, >1 year old, and tested HIV negative at 12 months. Reflexive thematic analysis guided the data analysis. Mothers' concerns persisted beyond ruling out HIV to encompass the overall health and development of their child during early years of life. Nurturing care practices were hindered by structural challenges - financial constraints, heavy caregiving demands, their own poor health, and limited partner/family support, which were further intensified by mothers' HIV and their child's HIV exposure. Existing efforts to operationalise the Nurturing Care Framework in high-HIV settings need to be strengthened to consider the specific needs and vulnerabilities of mothers of children who are HEU.
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