AEGiS-11IAC: An experiment in home calling people infected with HIV/AIDS in a city of northeastern Brazil.

11th International AIDS Conference


Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

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An experiment in home calling people infected with HIV/AIDS in a city of northeastern Brazil.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:444 (abstract no. Pub.B.1038)
Correa LM, Arruda G, Gondim R; Grupo de Apoio a Prevencao a AIDS (GAPA-CE), Ceara, Brazil. Fax: 55 85 253-4159. E-mail: gapace@br.homeshopping.com.br.

ISSUE: Low living standards of HIV-infected patients owing to the lack of information about AIDS and its social implications.

PROJECT: Program of home calling developed by Group of Support to AIDS Prevention in Ceara (GAPA-CE) to help HIV/AIDS infected individuals in Fortaleza/Ce, the second biggest city in Northeastern Brazil. Patients are visited weekly and an evaluation is made of their bio-psycho-social status. The visiting staff comprises students and professionals of Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition, Psychology and Social services. During the visit the patients are examined by the nurses and notes are taken so as to provide a follow up of the disease. Besides a general evaluation of the patient, we provide information and education about the disease and communicate with their relatives in family meetings.

RESULTS: We took of 18 patients and made than 300 calls in a 10 month period, in 1995. As a result of the excellent acceptance of our orientation by both patients and their families, with an average participation of 50 people by family meeting, we were able to produce an educational video-tape, a folder and a booklet.

LESSONS LEARNED: Home calling people infected with HIV/AIDS provides a bond of union and mutual trust between professional and patient. It is important, thus, that the visiting professional be always the same. This treatment has provided an improvement in the patient's self-esteem, in Fortaleza, and, so, he/she has taken more care of his/her health.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV, HIV Infections, Cities, HIV-1, Family, Counseling, Social Work, Program Evaluation, Caregivers, Social Welfare, Socioeconomic Factors, Brazil, Human, ICA11KWDaegis,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,hiv,hivinfections,cities,hiv-1,family,counseling,socialwork,programevaluation,caregivers,socialwelfare,socioeconomicfactors,brazil,human,ica11

960707
PubB1038

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