Access to palliative care in HIV services in Cape Town

AIDS Care
Liz GwytherLeslie London

Abstract

This paper examines access to palliative care (PC) for patients with HIV, part of a study investigating access to PC for patients with chronic diseases. Studies highlight gaps in symptom management and psychosocial care for People living with HIV (PLHIV) and thus the need to integrate PC into HIV services. The aim of the study was to describe the access of patients with advanced chronic illness to PC services. this was a prospective cohort study conducted over six months. Participants were recruited from patients living with HIV with CD4 counts of <200 cells/mm3, patients with advanced cancer and patients diagnosed with motor neurone disease. All HIV patients were on anti-retroviral treatment. Participants responded to a questionnaire including the APCA African Palliative Outcome Scale (POS), a validated palliative outcome scale, as a measure of care at first visit and telephonically once a month for 6 months. Seventy-nine HIV patients were recruited to the study. During the study 6 PLHIV died and no HIV patients were referred to PC services. A significant finding is that most patient outcomes improved for HIV patients. Pain reduced from 1.83 to 0.86; symptoms reduced from 2.41 to 0.49; worry reduced from 2.17 to 0.35. Spiritua...Continue Reading

References

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Citations

Jul 18, 2018·AIDS Care·Sarah SkeenLorraine Sherr
Jan 11, 2021·BMC Palliative Care·Tara Devi LaabarClaire E Johnson

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