Date

5-2-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

There are many modern beauties on this earth, including the incredible power of twenty-first century science and technology. But, due to many socio-economic injustices and current wars, these modern ‘beauties’ do not reach everyone. The spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa is a pertinent example of a social and public health issue disabling millions of people from obtaining their basic necessities. Although South Africa is the richest country on the African continent, it continues to contain the highest number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS worldwide. One out of five adults is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in South Africa; this has left over two and a half million HIV/AIDS orphans in its wrath (McGraw-Hill, 2012). It is important to take all possible steps to discontinue a growing intergenerational HIV/AIDS pandemic by improving the emotional, mental and physical livelihood of the HIV/AIDS orphans themselves. To discontinue this pandemic, there is a need for effective macro, micro, and mezzo interventions. These interventions integrate international and domestic policy and practice, which particularly focus upon the ways that foster care programs, adoption programs, work/life skills programs, caretaker resource accessibility programs, anti-stigma education programs, and specialized medical programs for HIV+ orphans all impact the lives of these orphans. The purpose of this social work review is to explore evidence-based practice interventions being used to help improve the lives of HIV/AIDS orphans in South Africa, through the combination of an in-depth literature review study and empirical study. During this process, implications for future best practices have also been identified.

Department

Social Work

Thesis Comittee

Kathleen Bailey (Thesis Director)

Arnaa Alcon

Hadidja Njiransekuye

Copyright and Permissions

Original document was submitted as an Honors Program requirement. Copyright is held by the author.

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