AEGiS-14IAC: Some problems of social services for HIV-infected people in St. Petersburg, Russia.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Some problems of social services for HIV-infected people in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. E11413)

Borodkina OI, Girchenko P, Baranova MV
St.Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation

BACKGROUND: In the situation of AIDS epidemic in Russia creating an effective system of the social services for people with HIV is really necessary.

METHOD: As par of analysis of social system for people with HIV in St. Petersburg 10 in-depth interviews with leaders and 15 in-depth interviews with social workers of different organizations working with HIV-infected people about there activities and problems and participant's observations were conducted.

RESULTS: At the present time in St. Petersburg, there are about twenty social organizations, acting in the sphere of AIDS prevention. Most of them are NGO. Among the main kinds of these organizations' activity there are: informing the society about AIDS, popularization of the safe behavior, confidential hot-lines. Only few of these organizations set about the social rehabilitation of HIV-infected people and organizing self-help groups, the social and psychological help for HIV-infected people and members of their families. The leaders and social workers need additional knowledge and skills in rendering help for HIV-infected people. Many of them just feel this need but can not concrete which kind of knowledge they would like to get (typical answer: "any knowledge "). Some of them are in need of additional education in sociological disciplines and technologies of social work with the risk behavior groups (first of all with drug abuse people). The leaders also need knowledge, not directly connected with the AIDS-problems, and first of all knowledge of management, and in particular knowledge in the field of social management and social planning.

CONCLUSION: The organizations, acting in the field of AIDS, have sufficiently similar problems; the scanty financing and absence of an effective legislative base and lack of highly skilled specialists. Both social workers and managers need to be involved in the continuing education system.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV, HIV Infections, Social Work, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Social Welfare, HIV Seropositivity, Risk-Taking, Health Services Needs and Demand, Knowledge, Russia

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