Interpersonal communication and.counseling
Interpersonnel communication and counseling (IPC/C) : people accessing HIV- related services e.g (VCT treatment for STIs) may be under a great deal of psychosocial stress, fearing family or community stigmatization if they are diagnosed HIV positive . In this context the quality of client provider communication is critical. Services providers must avoid judgmental attitudes, Keep confidentiality listen carefully encourage client communication respond to questions clearly and be as supportive as possible. Empathy is one of the strongest qualities a provider can have. Programs can improve the communication skills of providers by giving clear expectations of provider performance for interaction with clients : training providers in client centered, facilitative communication, both pre- and in service providing and training them in the use of job aids to stimulate and reinforce communication on key issues monitoring and providing constructive feedback on their performance and monitoring them by recognizing good performance.
The clients ability to communicate proactively is an equally important contributor to the quality of client- provider interaction. Programs can empower clients to communicate proactively by informing them of their rights to information and quality services, helping them build their skills to interact effectively wit services providers, giving them positive feedback, and providing appropriate client education material that reinforce their interaction ( Kim etal 2001: storey et al;1999)
Gbose Adibayo
Comments
Post a Comment