Table 2 |
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Attitudes related to fostering, by caregiver group (n = 371) |
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A: Foster caregivers (%) |
B: Africare parents (%) |
C: Control parents (%) |
|
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|
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Willing to foster:* |
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|
Grandchild |
92 |
84 |
87 |
|
Sister or brother's child |
84 |
82 |
89 |
|
Other relative's child |
77 |
73 |
80 |
|
Friend's child |
47 |
47 |
46 |
|
Neighbor's child |
34 |
36 |
44 |
|
Child from community |
31 |
35 |
33 |
|
Child from church |
30 |
31 |
30 |
|
Child from home region |
28 |
29 |
30 |
|
Stranger's child |
26 |
23 |
24 |
|
Any child in need |
10 |
3 |
1 |
|
Would not foster a child |
1 |
5 |
1 |
|
|
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Important factors in a fostering decision: |
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|
How closely the child is related to you |
53 |
49 |
44 |
|
Financial resources or assistance |
46 |
55 |
55 |
|
Child's health |
21 |
18 |
26 |
|
How well you know the child |
16 |
11 |
15 |
|
Child's behavior |
15 |
20 |
12 |
|
Child's age |
14 |
13 |
18 |
|
Child's intelligence |
10 |
11 |
11 |
|
Child's gender |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
|
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Single most important factor: |
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|
How closely the child is related to you |
34 |
26 |
34 |
|
Financial resources and assistance |
32 |
35 |
25 |
|
Child's health |
9 |
12 |
15 |
|
Child's age |
7 |
9 |
12 |
|
Child's gender |
7 |
2 |
4 |
|
Child's plight |
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
All are important |
4 |
7 |
4 |
|
|
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What could prevent fostering suitable child: |
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|
Nothing could prevent it |
54 |
45 |
43 |
|
Lack of financial resources |
40 |
46 |
47 |
|
If child is HIV-positive |
7 |
10 |
10 |
|
If child is ill |
5 |
8 |
3 |
|
If child is disabled |
3 |
8 |
4 |
|
Sacrifices biol. children would have to make |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
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Good reasons, other than financial, not to foster: |
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|
Will cause problems in household |
29 |
28 |
18 |
|
Not my responsibility |
18 |
16 |
19 |
|
Don't have strength |
17 |
16 |
15 |
|
Child might have HIV/AIDS |
13 |
7 |
16 |
|
|
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"If taken into good homes, orphans will probably live good, successful lives." |
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|
Agree |
80 |
85 |
68 |
|
Disagree |
15 |
11 |
29 |
|
|
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Main reason for taking in an orphan: |
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|
There was no one else to care for the child |
71 |
NA |
NA |
|
Love of the child |
16 |
||
|
Family duty |
11 |
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|
|
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|
Difficulties resulting from fostering: |
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|
Financial difficulties |
64 |
||
|
Emotional strain or ill health |
4 |
NA |
NA |
|
No difficulties |
30 |
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|
|
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Best thing about fostering: |
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|
Satisfaction of doing your duty |
53 |
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|
Satisfaction of helping the child |
37 |
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|
Joy of having this child in the family |
22 |
NA |
NA |
|
Material benefits |
11 |
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|
Closer relationship with child |
10 |
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|
Respect of family and community |
6 |
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|
A full life |
4 |
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|
|
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Note: May not sum to 100% because of multiple responses and rounding. * Caregivers who said "Any child in need" were also counted in other categories. |
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Howard et al. BMC Public Health 2006 6:27 doi:10.1186/1471-2458-6-27 |
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