The usefulness of a genogram as a tool in therapeutic patient education: an exploratory study of parents of children living with HIV/AIDS in Benin

Understanding family dynamics and relationship is an important facet of care, therapeutic education and psychosocial support. As part of a therapeutic education program organized within a pediatric service in Cotonou, Benin, we have experimented with the genogram at the time of diagnosis and tested it as an educational tool. This study evaluates the usefulness of the genogram for therapeutic patient education, and its capacity to serve as an aid to better understand family structure and dynamics. The study was conducted in 2007 with 29 parents of children living with HIV / AIDS. Six professionals observed the conditions for the development and application of the genograms their effects on the production of information of an educational nature. The results indicate that it can provide families and caregivers benchmarks essential for understanding the role of the family and community in which the child-patient is situated and how they function. It facilitates the identification of key resource persons for the child and selfcare to be mobilized and fostered within the family.