Home Health Care Services for AIDS Patients: One Community's Response

Authors:
  • JNJennie T. Nickel
    Jennie T. Nickel
  • MOMuriel O'Connell
    Muriel O'Connell
  • NRNancy R. Reynolds
    Nancy R. Reynolds
  • DBDiana L. Brady
    Diana L. Brady
  • PBPatricia Reed Bentz
    Patricia Reed Bentz
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Abstract
The AIDS epidemic has challenged communities to develop and mobilize care networks for persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A major part of that mobilization has been a push toward community- and home-based services. The movement of HIV care to the home/community setting is occurring, however, without investigation of either the problems that this change engenders for agencies providing care or the agencies' responses to these problems. This article from one health care market suggests that home care agencies may not be well positioned to meet the cyclical needs of HIV patients, that care is becoming increasingly fragmented with multiple agencies seeking to patch together a program of comprehensive services, and that agency policies may be limiting the numbers of community-based HIV patients eligible for home care.