Purpose: The study was conducted to explore caregivers' experiences and perceptions of barriers to their
children receiving appropriate healthcare and support at schools in Thailand.
Method: A qualitative narrative study was conducted to achieve the aim stated above. Twenty caregivers
of children living with HIV/AIDS attending schools in Bangkok were interviewed in depth. The interviews
were audiotaped, transcribed and analyzed using narrative analysis.
Results: The analysis indicated that caregivers fear discrimination, suffer from stigma and most do not
reveal their child's HIV status to schools. Obstacles to children living with HIV/AIDS getting appropriate
care and support in schools are persistent. Caregivers need to collaborate with the public health sector to
provide HIV education and support for themselves and for teachers; community nurses would be well
placed to provide this.
Conclusion: Our findings can inform the design of systems for educational and social support alongside
adequate healthcare for children living with HIV/AIDS attending school. The Thai government needs to
establish collaboration between the educational and health sectors to reduce the stigma of HIV, promote
acceptance and provide support.