scholarly journals Access to treatment for HIV/AIDS: Report of a meeting of international experts

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes van Dam ◽  
Sherry Hutchinson

As of December 2001, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS is estimated at 40 million, and most live in the developing world. Advances in the development and availability of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs have led to a paradigm shift in most of the industrialized world, where highly active ARV therapy has resulted in a significant reduction in the prevalence of AIDS-related morbidity and mortality. In most of the developing world, however, the focus of national programs and international support continues to be on prevention and care in the absence of ARV treatment. While the moral imperative to provide the best possible treatment for people with AIDS-related disease is widely recognized, national governments and donors have been reluctant to enter into this endeavor citing numerous concerns. Ministries of health and the international donor community need guidance on developing and implementing effective HIV/AIDS treatment programs. To explore and prioritize operations research questions about access to treatment for HIV/AIDS, the Horizons Program convened a two-day meeting of international researchers and program managers in Washington, DC, on June 12–13, 2001. This report presents the findings and recommendations discussed at the meeting.

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Owen

In 1996, highly active antiretrovirals (ARVs) were released to the public, radically altering the health prospects of people living with HIV and AIDS. In the two decades since, ARVs have become the subject of intense political debate and social justice mobilization. In particular, ARV intellectual property patent protections have become a high-profile trade and diplomacy issue, while major philanthropic organizations have entered the fray to support large-scale treatment programs. This article maps 21 years of HIV/AIDS medicines coverage in mainstream newspapers to illustrate these developments and contestations. It demonstrates two main processes: first, where civil society mobilization successfully promoted ARVs onto the media and policy agenda, and second, where issue fragmentation and a changing political and media context saw ARVs dramatically exit the news coverage, despite the continuing catastrophic scale of the global HIV/AIDS medicines crisis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52
Author(s):  
David Ufuoma Adje ◽  
Felicia Esemekiphorar Williams ◽  
Chukwuka Nicholas Bezugbe ◽  
Dauda Audi Dangiwa

Background:       Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is critical in achieving treatment goals, avoiding antimicrobial resistance, preventing treatment failure and improving the patient’s quality of life. Objectives: To assess the knowledge of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and adherence to antiretroviral (ARVs) medicines amongst People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) accessing care in two Nigerian Military HIV/AIDS Treatment sites. Methods: Four hundred patients on HAART who visited the study sites during the study period were recruited for the study using systematic random sampling method. A semi-structured, pretested, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain demographic details. Patients’ knowledge of HIV was assessed using an 8-item questionnaire while adherence was measured using the Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ). Results: The predominant age group was 31-40 years (46.4%). There were more females (69%) than males (31%). Only 45.5% answered knowledge questions correctly. The adherence level in this study was 64.0%. The major reasons cited for non-adherence included being away from home (23.6%), forgetfulness (17.1%), busy schedule (14%), need to conceal medication (12.7%) and feeling better (11.6%). Conclusion: Patients’ knowledge of ART and adherence to ARVs medicines were sub-optimal. Appropriate strategies to improve patients’ knowledge of ART and adherence to ARVs are recommended.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Najam Khalique ◽  
Yasir Alvi ◽  
Anees Ahmad ◽  
MohammadSalman Shah ◽  
Nafis Faizi

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 228-240
Author(s):  
Marilou Gagnon ◽  
Dave Holmes

The purpose of this article is to move beyond the biomedical standpoint in the field of HIV/AIDS in order to contribute to the recognition of lipodystrophy as a phenomenon that reaches far beyond its current definition as an unfortunate side effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This article hopes to demonstrate how theory, while remote to the clinical setting, can allow nurses to understand the experience of lipodystrophy as a social phenomenon and address it likewise in their practice. The specific aim of this article is to apply the concept of stigma to the experience of lipodystrophy in people living with HIV/AIDS. The objective of this theoretical piece is to fill the gaps in the way nurses address lipodystrophy in the clinical setting and to demonstrate the richness of Goffman’s concept of stigma (1963) in understanding the experience of lipodystrophy.


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