What is a patient-centred approach to HIV/AIDS care?
October 14, 2011 4:06 PM GMT+7
The public health approach to HIV/AIDS chronic care is patient-centric.
As with other chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension, patients manage their care. Patients need to be educated about the disease so that they can make informed decisions on adherence and management, and be prepared to deal with the challenges of living with a chronic disease.
They need to know when and how to interact with the health services available in the community. For example, a person on treatment who may experience diarrhoea should know when to rush to the health facility for medical attention, that is if blood is present or there is associated fever, or when to relieve the symptom with a locally available remedy.
They need to know when and how to interact with the health services available in the community. For example, a person on treatment who may experience diarrhoea should know when to rush to the health facility for medical attention, that is if blood is present or there is associated fever, or when to relieve the symptom with a locally available remedy.