Use of Culture Care Theory with Baganda Women as AIDS Caregivers

In Uganda, AIDS patients are increasingly cared for at home by women in their traditional role of family caregiver. This transcultural nursing study utilized Leininger's (1991) Culture Care Theory to discover the meanings, patterns, and expressions of AIDS caregiving for Baganda women. Ethnonursing, supported by life history and Leininger's (1988, 1990, 1991, 1993) Sunrise Model, was used to discover care among 12 key and 25 general Baganda informants providing AIDS caregiving to family members at home. In-depth interviews were conducted with informants selected from home-based nursing care programs in the Rakai/Masaka and Kampala areas. Data were analyzed using Leininger's (1990) Phases of Ethnonursing Analysis for Qualitative Data. Six major themes were identified. The findings highlighted the struggle of Baganda women to provide care and love for family members with AIDS, identified intergenerational care as essential for survival and prevention of HIV infection, and offered insight into improving the quality of life for those who are HIV positive. Care knowledge from these findings can be used to provide culturally congruent nursing care to Baganda families who are affected by AIDS through the three modes of action and decision of the theory.