Engagement of the Elderly in Improving Their Healthcare in Cameroon: A Contribution Based on An Anthropological Analysis

Aging with HIV is an emerging public health issue in Cameroon, characterized by a growing number of older people living with HIV (OPLWH). In Cameroon, this population faces multiple challenges, including limited access to appropriate care, a lack of consideration for their specific needs by health facilities, and persistent stigma. An emic approach to this issue reveals that the experience of aging drives the engagement of older people living with HIV in their own care within health facilities and associations for the elderly. Furthermore, their engagement both in society and within health facilities is explained by lifestyle changes and the positive mobilization of healthcare staff. Resilience, as well as acceptance of oneself and the disease, are integral to the strategies that foster older people's participation in improving their care. Regarding recommendations, older people urge public health institutions to implement coaching and support interventions to help them develop strategies for managing their condition and their care.

Older people, Engagement, Improvement

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