AEGiS-13IAC: Alternative care programme for patients with HIV/AIDS in Brazil.

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Alternative care programme for patients with HIV/AIDS in Brazil.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. MoOrB122)

Vasconcelos A, Santos CE, Veloso VG, Vitoria M, Cunha CS, Chequer P
A. Vasconcelos, Brazilian Std/AIDS Program - Moh, Esplanada dos Ministerios - Bl. G - Sobreloja, 70.058-900 - Brasilia - DF, Brazil, Tel.: +55 61 315 2140, Fax: +55 61 3152 519, E-mail: aids@aids.gov.br

ISSUE: The Brazilian MoH alternative care programme for patients with HIV/AIDS has as its major objective the implementation of high quality care and access to care, by means of specialised HIV/AIDS out-patient, hospital day-care, and home-based care services as alternatives to the traditional treatment of HIV infected patients. Looseness=1

DESCRIPTION: These activities were initiated in the public health system in 94 with major support from the National STD/AIDS Programme in order to create a national network of alternative care and diagnostic services in all states. To do this it was necessary at the outset to accredit conventional hospitals (HC) to treat HIV/AIDS patients and to establish specialised out-patient units (SAE), day-hospitals (HD) and home-care (ADT) for those patients requiring specific interventions related to HIV/AIDS at varying stages of complexity and medical need. In the five-year period (94-99), 357 HC were accredited, 66 HD established, 50 ADT and 145 SAE created. When the average costs of alternative care methods were compared with conventional treatment we observed that the cost of HC was twice higher than HD and almost nine times higher than ADT. Concurrent with the setting of this infrastructure for the various services, the training of healthcare professionals in alternative and specialised care was also carried forward. 15 courses were held for SAE at which where 113 teams comprising 406 professionals were trained; 15 courses for HD with 71 teams with 259 professionals were conducted; and 10 courses for ADT covered 50 teams totalling 212 professionals.

CONCLUSION: Direct benefits obtained for the population include a major improvement in the quality of HIV/AIDS care and treatment services for patients, resulting in increased life expectancy and a markedly better quality of life for them. Other benefits were the notable reduction of hospitalisation of patients, with related cost-savings, and the optimisation of both human and financial resources

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Home Care Services, Costs and Cost Analysis, Hospitalization, Brazil, Human, economics, therapy
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