AEGiS-13IAC: Home care for PWAs and mental health services: Demand for partnerships.

13th International AIDS Conference

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

Home care for PWAs and mental health services: Demand for partnerships.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. TuOrB365)

Silva C, Santos-Filho ET, Nascimento C
C. Silva, AV Rio Branco 135/709, Rio De Janeiro 20040-006, Brazil, Tel.: +552 151 839 93, Fax: +552 151 819 97, E-mail: gpvrj@pelavidda.org.br

PROBLEM: Along the two years of a local based home care program - the Rio Buddy Project (RBP) - it has been registered a growing demand for psychological or psychiatric specialized services by the clients of the project. In this period, 34% of the clients have had this demand; among them 4% of the total clients are chemical dependents and the most of the total (64%) live in poor resource areas or in which aggravates the conditions presented. The RBP had to face this demand on mental health services not to obstacle better results.

ISSUE: Through the home care program the project could identify that (a) ARC itself; (b) the long term use of highly toxic medication; (c) difficulties in the compliance to ART; (d) difficulties in the access to treatment or regular care at the public health system; (e) low self-esteem and (f) other social consequences of prejudice and misinformation related to the epidemic, all concur to provoke the increase in the demand for mental health support. Considering these issues, the RBP established partnerships with the local Health Authorities, public hospitals and the Banco de Horas (a project that provides free psychological support for PWAs), in order to respond to the demand of mental health support.

RESULTS: The partnerships absorbed relatively this demand. From the total number of identified clients with demands in mental health support, just 11% has been attended on the public (mental) health system, 17% has been attended by the Banco de Horas, 33% has been attended by the private (mental) health system and the majority (39%) has not been attended. From all clients with demand in mental health support 67% are living in resource poor areas or have suffered from severe impoverishment related to AIDS. Conclusions and Lessons Learned: This data shows the precariousness of mental health services provided in the public health system despite the great demand for it. The figures bring a challenge for those who provide care for PWAs: to preview and provide (or indicate) mental health support. As a conclusion, the good provision of home care support for PWAs will be considerably limited in the case of restrictions for mental health support.

Keywords: AEGIS, Mental Health Services, Home Care Services, Mental Disorders, Counseling, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Psychiatric Nursing, Demography, Human, nursing, Economics
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