title: Maternal ability to take care of children exposed to HIV.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to assess the ability of mothers to take care of children exposed to HIV, using the Assessment Scale of Care Skills for Children Exposed to HIV at Birth and to check the association between the scale dimensions and maternal characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  this cross-sectional study involved 62 HIV+ mothers whose children of up to one year old had been exposed to the virus at birth. The Assessment Scale of Care Skills for Children Exposed to HIV at Birth consists of 52 items and five dimensions, indicating high, moderate or low care ability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  72.7% of the mothers appropriately offered zidovudine syrup; 86.0% were highly skilled to prepare and administer milk formula; 44.4% were moderately able to prepare and administer complementary feeding; 76.5% revealed high ability to administer prophylactic treatment against pneumonia and 95.3% demonstrated high abilities for clinical monitoring and immunization. Significant associations were found between some maternal variables and the scale dimensions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the scale permits the assessment of maternal care delivery to these children and the accomplishment of specific child health interventions.
authors: Universidade de Fortaleza, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors: Julyana Gomes
authors: JG
authors: Freitas
authors: Léa Maria Moura
authors: LM
authors: Barroso
authors: Marli Teresinha Gimeniz
authors: MT
authors: Galvão
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting; D055815:Young Adult