A Community Health Approach to AIDS: Caring for the Patient and Educating the Public

Abstract

Twenty-three thousand people have been diagnosed as having acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) since it was first recognized in 1981 (Centers for Disease Control, 1981). The treatment of the disease has mostly been confined to the hospital setting; however, some of those afflicted are electing to be treated at home. As the incidence of AIDS increases, so does the likelihood that the community health nurse will be providing care in the home. AIDS is a disease caused by the human T-cell lymphotrophic virus (HTLV-III; Gallo et al., 1984). The virus attacks the immune system making the individual susceptible to opportunistic infections. The diagnosis is established when the person has a diagnosed disease that is indicative of immune deficiency, and has no known cause of reduced immunity. Examples of these opportunistic diseases include, but are not limited to, the following: intestinal cryptosporidiosis, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, Kaposi's sarcoma, and lymphomas of the brain. Occurrence of the disease is most prevalent in the male homosexual population (73%) with others in high-risk groups including intravenous (IV) drug abusers (17%), transfusion recipients (2%), heterosexual contacts of high-risk groups (1%), hemophiliacs (1%), and unknown (6%) (Centers for Disease Control, 1986). The person with AIDS may develop any number of these opportunistic infections. To assist the nurse in planning the care of the person with AIDS, the following nursing considerations should be included.