PARENTING STRESS AMONG WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV – A CASE STUDY ANALYSIS

Macintosh et.al (2012) states that “HIV/AIDS is considered to be a family disease and it is considered
as one of the major factors affecting women”. The HIV/AIDS epidemic impacts the lives of women in a unique
way precipitates the integration of a host of strategies to face a range of stressors within and outside the
biological context of the disease, stress is the process that occurs in response to events that disrupt, or threaten
to disrupt, in physical and psychological functioning. Mental health issues are major factors in most of the HIV
cases. Parenting stress is a complex issue which is confounded by many psychosocial factors. Parenting is an
important task. According to Rodgers (1998), parentings stress both directly and indirectly affect parenting
behaviour. Anderson (2008) found that parents with poor health reported significantly higher levels of
parenting stress than healthier parents. The present study focuses on mothers living with HIV. Case study
analysis was used to assess the parenting stress among mothers living with HIV. Poverty, stigma and their own
health care needs make parenting more stressful and challenging in meeting everyday life situations.