Psychosocial Care Needs of Persons with AIDS

Abstract

Persons diagnosed with frank AIDS are not a uniform group and do not have uniform needs. Some AIDS patients are first seen in the late stages of their illnesses when death is imminent. Others are seen much earlier, during a period of relatively good health or during an acute illness from which they will recover. Some AIDS patients are incapacitated by debilitating illness or impaired cognitive functioning. Others are alert, vigorous, and able to live independently and actively for months or even years. The emotional issues that confront an AIDS patient who is near death are very different from the issues relevant to the person with AIDS, who is in a prolonged remission. Because the health course associated with AIDS is not uniform and consistent, and because the same individual may experience worsenings and improvements in health, no single intervention strategy is relevant for all patients.

We do not see ourselves as victims. We will not be victimized. We have the right to be treated with respect, dignity, compassion, and understanding. We have the right to lead fulfilling, productive lives—to live and die with compassion and dignity. Mission statement of the National Association of People with AIDS