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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Kathleen Asas, Randolph H. Cheung, Christie A. Johnson, and Anne Rinchiuso. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520, 203-507-6174, kathleen.asas@yale.edu
The care continuum for HIV/AIDS patients must include interventions aimed at the multiple challenges this group is faced with. In addition to the debilitating effects of their HIV infection and associated comorbidities, many of these patients struggle with substance abuse, mental illness, or homelessness. Most commonly, this population receives treatment on an outpatient basis, which often results in sporadic care for their illness, and, consequently, poor control of their disease and resulting clinical manifestations. Specialized nursing homes offer an effective solution to the problem of insufficient care and treatment for persons suffering from HIV/AIDS, by medically stabilizing acute complications, with the goal of reintegrating the healthiest patients back into the community. Unfortunately, even though some of these patients can be discharged, most of them will lack the necessary support network and/or life skills to reintegrate successfully. We worked with a 40-bed HIV/AIDS nursing facility in New Haven, CT to develop staffing plans and service paradigms for assisted living facilities. The goal of our project was to address the shortcomings of the currently available options for patients who seek to reenter the community by providing them with an alternative option that allows them to maintain control of their disease status, their substance abuse problems, and/or their mental illnesses, while at the same time allowing them to enjoy the highest level of independence appropriate to their conditions. Research methods, results, and model recommendations will be presented, and the status of the initiative updated.
Learning Objectives: After viewing this poster, participants will be able to
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Housing
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.