Using People to Cope with the Hunger: Social Networks and Food Transfers Amongst HIV/AIDS Afflicted Households in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Household afflicted by HIV/AIDS are particularly prone to food insecurity. This article explores the role of community networks in meeting household food deficits. One hundred households exhibiting a range (0–5) of HIV/AIDS proxies related to orphan fostering, prime adult chronic illness and mortali...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:AIDS and behavior 2011-10, Vol.15 (7), p.1490-1502
Main Author: Kaschula, Sarah
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Aged
Chronic Illness
Community action
Community involvement
Community Networks
Family Characteristics
Food Security
Food Supply
Health Psychology
HIV
HIV Infections - economics
HIV Infections - psychology
Households
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Hunger
Infectious Diseases
Interviews as Topic
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Middle Aged
Mortality Rates
Original Paper
Proportional Hazards Models
Public Health
Rural Population
Social capital
Social Closure
Social Networks
Social Stigma
Social Support
Socioeconomic Factors
South Africa
Stereotyping
Stigma
Young Adult
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Summary:Household afflicted by HIV/AIDS are particularly prone to food insecurity. This article explores the role of community networks in meeting household food deficits. One hundred households exhibiting a range (0–5) of HIV/AIDS proxies related to orphan fostering, prime adult chronic illness and mortality were visited at quarterly intervals for a year. At each assessment, donated food types consumed in the past 48 h were recorded, and household food security was monitored through an experiential measure. Factors determining access to donated foods were explored qualitatively by means of participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Poor households with prime adult chronic illness were prone to food insecurity, and used the most donated foods. However, not all households perceived to be afflicted with HIV/AIDS were able to access donated foods due to stigma and social exclusion. Concerted action must be taken by government, non-government and community agents if social food transfer networks are to be transformed into coordinated community action.
ISSN:1090-7165
1573-3254
DOI:10.1007/s10461-011-0006-z