Medical Research Council Experts Promote Group Therapy for Youth Living With HIV: Young People in Hoima Benefit from Mental Health Support Groups. Researchers Call for More Trained Health Wor
Mental health experts from the Medical Research Council Uganda are encouraging the use of group support psychotherapy to help young people living with HIV overcome depression, stigma, and emotional distress.
The researchers say group-based counseling has proven effective in helping young people rebuild confidence, return to school, and engage in productive activities.
For many young people living with HIV, the emotional burden of stigma, isolation, and anxiety remains a major challenge alongside treatment and medication.
Now, researchers from the Medical Research Council Uganda say group support psychotherapy is helping many young people regain hope and improve their mental well-being.
The research, which began nearly ten years ago, found that people experiencing mental health challenges respond better when supported in group settings where they can freely share experiences and encourage one another.
Barbra Kemigisha, one of the young people living with HIV participating in the program, says they were organized into youth groups of about ten members and trained on how to support one another despite living with the virus.
She says the support groups have helped many participants regain confidence, return to school, and start vocational and income-generating activities.
Lead researcher Prof. Etheldreda Nakimuli says the program discovered effective counseling approaches by bringing together people living with HIV to openly discuss their experiences and challenges.
Prof. Nakimuli, however, says there is still a need for government to train more health workers in modern counseling approaches to improve mental health support for people living with HIV across the country.
Meanwhile, young people benefiting from the program say the support groups have played a major role in helping them overcome fear, depression, and stigma associated with HIV.
Researchers now believe strengthening community-based mental health support could significantly improve the quality of life for young people living with HIV while encouraging treatment adherence and social inclusion.
