title: Pediatric HIV disclosure: a process-oriented framework.
abstract: As children with vertically transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection live into adulthood, caregivers face the stressful process of informing their children about their infection. Although developmentally guided disclosure of HIV status is widely recommended, there are few specific frameworks to guide caregivers, families, and health care providers through the disclosure process. The authors propose a process-oriented framework for the disclosure of HIV in children and adolescents. This educational framework incorporates Piaget's cognitive development theory in an attempt to disclose and assist children and adolescents in understanding their HIV status. The framework is organized into 10 sequential stages of disclosure and three assessment stages in which health care providers discuss HIV health concepts with the child and caregiver, based on the child's developmental readiness. The described framework can be easily replicated by health care providers in disclosing disease status to children with HIV.
authors.affiliation: Child Life Program, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA. kathryn.cantrell@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cantrell
authors.forename: Nehali
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mandrell
authors.forename: Shawna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grissom
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D005190:Family; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010372:Pediatrics; D014342:Truth Disclosure