Levels of resilience and delivery of HIV care in response to urban violence and crime.

AIMS: To understand the impact of urban violence and crime on HIV care delivery.

BACKGROUND

Urban violence and crime can put pressure on the healthcare system and on nursing staff. Whilst there is research about the impact this has at the individual level, there is less research that places this in the context of the overall social eco-system.

DESIGN

A qualitative design using inductive thematic analysis.

METHODS

Between July 2016 - February 2017, we conducted in-depth interviews with 10 nurses working in two neighbourhoods with high levels of violence in Cape Town, South Africa.

RESULTS

The effects of crime and violence were evident at multiple levels resulting in participants feeling "safe and unsafe" in a context where people view crime as endemic. Resilience emerged as a key concept in the findings. Resilience was apparent at individual, community, and organizational levels and enabled continued delivery of HIV care.

CONCLUSION

The findings demonstrate the potential role of resilience in the social eco-health system required to sustain delivery of HIV care in the midst of urban violence and gangsterism.

IMPACT: This study examined the impact of and response to urban violence on HIV care delivery. The findings indicate that resilience manifests at all levels of the social eco-system. Understanding the mechanisms employed to cope with endemic violence helps to address these challenges in the study setting, but also has a much wider application to other areas with endemic urban violence and crime.