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SPOTLIGHT ON RESOURCES
Patients with HIV/AIDS face physical, psychological, social and often
economic burdens during the course of their disease and treatment. These
burdens can significantly reduce quality of life, but many patients never
receive much help beyond medication in coping with these stresses. This
month’s resources spotlight falls on a new clinical guide that leads
health care providers through the basics of supportive and palliative
care for persons with HIV/AIDS. The guide, published by HHS’ Health Resources and Service Administration, emphasizes the need for supportive care throughout the disease course, from the pain of first diagnosis to funeral arrangements. The guide includes chapters on management of advanced HIV disease, the spiritual, ethical and legal issues in treating the disease and the special needs of dying patients. The guide also has special care suggestions related to the health of caregivers, children, low-income and minority patients and substance abuse in patients with HIV/AIDS. Publications, Web sites and hot line numbers organized by topic, along with a list of common drug interactions for HIV medications, can be found at the end of the guide. “For many clinicians involved in the first phase of the AIDS epidemic, it took a disease we could not cure to teach us the true meaning of healing. It is our hope that these lessons will not be lost as we strive to help our patients and their loved ones navigate the complex trajectory of this disease and its changing impact on their lives,” say the guide authors. The entire guide can be viewed and downloaded at http://hab.hrsa.gov. You can order multiple copies from the HRSA Information Center by calling 1-888-ASK-HRSA (1-888-275-4772).
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