Review Collection HIV/AIDS

For many people in the western world HIV has become more manageable and for some a chronic disease. This has been as a result of access to improved therapeutics. However this access is not equitable. In some countries of lower socio-economic status such as Africa, HIV AIDS has reached epidemic proportions and it is still a life threatening illness.  

Poor or absent public health campaigns in some countries has meant that the rates of HIV / AIDS in for example intravenous drug users and sex workers, are rising at alarming rates.

Nurses will come into contact with those who are managing their HIV and with those who are not. Patients with symptomatic HIV or with AIDS (and who have palliative care needs) can be seen in many different settings and have a range of very different care needs and circumstances.   

• Palliative Care Australia has conference presentations from the ‘Together 2009’ national conference, including HIV AIDS 
• The Victorian Government has generic health information on HIV AIDS. 
• The World Health Organisation has information on HIV AIDS and Palliative care 
• A Centre for Palliative Care Education (University of Washington, US) Overview of HIV AIDS palliative care module

Harding R, Karus D, Easterbrook P, Raveis VH, Higginson IJ, Marconi K. Does palliative care improve outcomes for patients with HIV/AIDS? A systematic review of the evidence. Sex Transm Infect. 2005 Feb;81(1):5-14. 

Baptista-Gongalves R. HIV/AIDS in Portugal: current trends and nursing perspectives. HIV Nursing. 2009 Dec 22.

Whitehead CM. The specialist nurse in HIV/AIDS medicine. Postgrad Med J. 1996 Apr;72(846):211-3.

This page was created on 27 August 2010
Last updated 27 August 2010*