Socio-Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS Deaths on Households in India and Coping Strategies: A Study of Well Being of Children

Saurabh Singh, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Shrikant Singh, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

This study has been carried in Sangli, the most HIV affected district in India. Data for this study were collected from AIDS and non-AIDS death households’ .A significant negative impact on the economy of households where an adult had died due to AIDS is clearly evident. On the social front, they had experienced discriminations and a few of them sent their children away to distant relatives and withdraw children from school. Adult deaths due to AIDS have impacted negatively on children’s access to health care. Elevated discrimination levels against children in schools and in the community were clearly articulated. While the members of the extended family provide orphans with shelter, it is obvious that several of these children did not receive continued education and health care when needed. The impact on both households and children is much more negative in case of those households which are socially and economically disadvantaged.