235778 HIV Positive Patients: A Toolkit for the Use of Health Care Practitioners, HIV Positive Patients, and the General Population

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Kalycia Trishana Watson, MUPP , Department of Urban Planning and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Background: In 2006 the Center for Disease Control estimated that 1,106,400 individuals were living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the United States of America. Amongst the general population, in the USA, 21% were undiagnosed. This toolkit seeks to examine and help combat barriers and stigmas HIV-positive patients face. In addition, achieve universal access to health care, prevention, treatment, and support interventions for HIV-positive patients.

Methods: Review literature and data from USA clinical trials on barriers, fear of stigma, loss of confidentiality, and lost of a support system for HIV-positive patients. In addition, assess used mental health screening tools, education materials (antiretroviral treatment, medication adherence, prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections), status disclosure models (to employers, family members, and social contacts), and how-to-guides on combating preconceived notions about being HIV-positive (stigmatizations and discriminations).

Results: Provide a toolkit in which HIV-positive patients have access to private and confidential counseling and testing services, mental health screening, antiretroviral therapy, and professional and emotional support; either in their community and/or a near-by clinic/hospital. Moreover, implement how-to combat preconceived notions about being HIV-positive and how-to ensure ownership of the stigma-reduction process via a unified response for health care practitioners, HIV-positive patients, and the general population.

Conclusions: This toolkit aims to help health care practitioners, HIV-positive patients, and the general population in working together to confront barriers and stigma's HIV-positive patients' face, create private and confidential counseling and testing services, mental health screening, access to antiretroviral therapy, and professional and emotional support for HIV-positive patients.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Demonstrate barriers, failed medication adherence, loss of privacy, lost of trust and support in the health care system, the community, and amongst family members, and fear of stigma for HIV-positive patients. 2. Describe how to use mental health screening tools, education materials (antiretroviral treatment, medication adherence, prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections), status disclosure models (to employers, family members, and social contacts), and how-to-guides on combating preconceived notions about being HIV-positive (stigmatizations and discriminations) for HIV-positive patients. 3. Describe how a toolkit will help combat barriers and stigmas HIV-positive patients face. In addition, achieve universal access to health care, prevention, treatment, and support interventions for HIV-positive patients.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Health Needs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a research assistant/health specialist for HIV positive patients. Also, I am currently working on a research project regarding HIV positive patients and mental health
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Public Health Perspectives on HIV/AIDS
See more of: HIV/AIDS