Elderly People and Reproductive Decisions of Couples Living with HIV in Southern Malawi

Aims: To explore experiences of elderly people on reproductive decisions made by couples living with HIV in rural southern Malawi.
Study Design: This was a qualitative exploratory descriptive research.
Place and Duration of Study: The informants were recruited from two districts in southern Malawi, patrilineal Chikhwawa - Ngabu area and matrilineal Chiradzulu - Ndunde area between July and December, 2010.
Methodology: Four focus group discussions, with thirty elderly men and women, 15 from each district, where division by gender was the criteria employed in attempts to create well-functioning and articulate groups were selected purposively. Data was analyzed concurrently with data collection using content method. The interviews, which, were transcribed verbatim were uploaded into Nvivo qualitative management software enabling a systematization and easier retrieval of data.
Results: Emerging themes were generation gap, defeated/ignored, lack of information and blame situation. First there was generation gap which led to the elderly people feel that their role in the community was defeated, which they indicated by being ignored in reproductive decision making. They further indicated that they lack information about current issues related to HIV, AIDS and reproductive decisions in couples living with HIV. All these led to a blame situation where the elderly people blamed either the couples living with HIV or health workers for the current situation.
Conclusion: Older people need to be recognized, supported and educated in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The different needs, roles and responsibilities of older men and women need to be acknowledged and included in programs and policies addressing this global epidemic.