Facultatea de Sociologie și Asistență Socială Universitatea din București Growing young with HIV. The challenges of the social integration of a generation of youth HIV infected in hospital settings from Romania in early childhood Florin Lazar – PhD, Lecturer University of Bucharest, Faculty of Sociology and Social Work

 Romania was known for long time as having more than 50% of the pediatric AIDS cases in Europe,  Nosocomially infected (hospital settings) in late ’80., due to use of unsafe syringes and blood products  Romania is now a low prevalence country for HIV  Of the 10,000 children infected, about 3,000 died and other 7,000 have survived for over 22 years with HIV.  At the beginning – more medical aspects prevailed  People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) are considered by law as having disabilities, receiving mainly cash benefits as forms of social support, unaccompanied by support social services. Background

overprotection from the family stigma, and discrimination in education poor health relatively high social entitlements discouraged many young PLHIV to actively look for alternative sources of income

Aim & methods  The aim of the paper is to highlight the current challenges faced by young people living with HIV/AIDS in Romania. Methods  Administrative official data on access to social entitlements  Programatic data from social work practice  Data from three recent cross-sectional research studies (2011) 1.clinic-based behavioral survey (R1, n=835) 2.clinic and community-based survey (R2, n=618) 3.community research (R3, n=300) in three large cities

 a peak increase of those availing of social entitlements ( see table ),  a higher proportion receiving cash benefits (a food allowance) which ensures greater confidentiality.  Just 3.9% of those registered as disabled reported as being employed (1% in 2010). Administrative official data at national level Q1 # PLWHA registered with medical services 11,187 10,903 % PLWHA registered as people with disabilities38.6%53.5% % PLWHA receiving food allowance45.2%65.9%

Programatic data  from a vocational training program implemented between by Romanian Children’s Appeal Foundation, financed by GFATM  Activities aim young PLWH‘social and professional integration through vocational training and counseling  Vocational training courses organised by specialised agencies and paid (partially) through the program  Individual and group counseling for health education  Occupational therapy in hospital

 # of young PLWHA receiving health education counseling: 155  # of young PLWHA receiving counseling for professional and vocational integration: 192 – Of which # of young PLWHA attending vocational training courses: 31 (16.14%) – # of … employed: 22 (11.46%)  # of people attending OT: 255 Results of the programme

 very low percentage of those aged legally employed (10% in R1, 9.3% in R2, 10.2% in R3)  more than 50% - unemployed.  the main source of income is represented by social entitlements (over 80%)  only 12% are students. Research data

 Since HIV became a chronic disease social programs for young people living with HIV/AIDS need to incorporate both services and cash transfers and improve school participation in order to increase their chances of social integration and not favor dependency on welfare benefits. Conclusions

 Colleagues from Romanian Children’s Appeal Foundation for implementing the program ”Together through life”(GFATM)  Fidelie Kalambayi - Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation for database of R1 (GFATM)  Eugenia Apolzan - UNICEF Romania & Iulian Petre – National Union of Organisation of People Living with HIV/AIDS – for collaboration in R2 (Financing: Irish Aid)  PARTAGES team – for collaboration in R3 (Financing: ANRS, SIDAction, Coalition PLUS)  Thank you for your attention! Contact: Acknowledgments