7th International AIDS Conference Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:458 (abstract no. W.D.4283)
Silverman F, Little D, Rice A; Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York, USA

OBJECTIVE: To empower health care workers providing treatment to HIV infected patient who have a co-morbid substance abuse disorder.

METHODS: The increase in HIV seroprevalence for intravenous drug users can be as high as 14% yearly. Anecdotal evidence and case examples will show that as more HIV infected substance abusers seek medical and psychosocial treatment, health care workers expert in the psychosocial treatment of HIV infected patients become overwhelmed and ineffective with patients who have a co-morbid substance abuse disorder.

RESULTS: It will be shown that HIV infected patients and substance abuse patients present similar treatment issues. Workers who have been treating the HIV infected patient do not recognize these common issues and therefore feel ill equipped to implement effective interventions with the substance abusing HIV infected patient. Some of the commonalities are the crisis nature of these entities; the chronic and terminal aspects of both; similar defense mechanisms employed by both the substance abuser and HIV infected patient and the need for both to change their lifestyle. Workers' countertransferential reactions are also similar as they relate to feelings of loss of control; hopelessness and confidentiality.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: When workers gain knowledge of the treatment issues for substance abusers and acknowledge the similarities to the HIV infected patient, they will recognize that their knowledge and skills are transferable. They will then be most effective in their treatment of this difficult and challenging population.

Copyright © 1991 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.