Abstract
Abstract
Introduction
With effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), many persons living with HIV (PLHIV) live to old age. Caring for aged PLHIV necessitates the engagement of caregivers and patients to establish agreed-upon goals of treatment. However, there is limited literature on friendly and centered models of care for elderly PLHIV. We explored strategies to improve care in HIV clinics among PLHIV aged 50 years and above in Uganda.
Methods
We conducted 40 in-depth interviews in two hospitals with elderly PLHIV aged 50 years and above who had lived with HIV for more than ten years. We explored strategies for improving care of elderly PLHIV at both health facility and community levels. The in-depth interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The thematic approach guided data analysis.
Results
The elderly PLHIV suggested the following strategies to improve their care: creating geriatric clinics; increasing screening tests for non-communicable diseases in the ART clinics; community and home-based ART delivery; workshops at health facilities to provide health education on aging effectively; creating community support groups; financial assistance for the elderly PLHIV and advances in science.
Conclusions
There is need to improve community HIV care especially for the elderly and social and economic support in the community. Involving the elderly PLHIV in developing strategies to improve their health goes a long way to improve the patients' quality of care. There is a need to incorporate the raised strategies in HIV care or older adults.
Funder
Global Challenge Research Fund
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Pharmacology (medical),Virology,Molecular Medicine
Reference29 articles.
1. Achour N, Pascal F, Soetanto R, Price AD. Healthcare emergency planning and management to major hazards in the UK. Int J Emerg Manag. 2015;11(1):1–19.
2. Asa GA, Fauk NK, Ward PR, Hawke K, Crutzen R, Mwanri LJP. Psychological, sociocultural and economic coping strategies of mothers or female caregivers of children with a disability in Belu district. Indonesia. 2021;16(5):e0251274.
3. Ball S, Hyde C, Hamilton W, Bright CJ, Gildea C, Wong KF, Paley L, Hill HL, Mak V, Moffat J, Elliss-Brookes L. An evaluation of a national mass media campaign to raise public awareness of possible lung cancer symptoms in England in 2016 and 2017. Br J Cancer. 2022;126(2):187–95.
4. Basit TJE. Manual or electronic? The Role of coding in qualitative data analysis. Educ Res. 2003;45(2):143–54.
5. Basu S, Copana R, Morales R, Anugulruengkitt S, Puthanakit T, Maramba-Lazarte C, Williams P, Musembi J, Boga M, Issack M, Hokororo A, Falade AG, Trehan I, Molyneux E, Arscott-Mills T, Alemayehu T, Bryant PA. Keeping it real: antibiotic use problems and stewardship solutions in low-and middle-income countries. Pediatric Infect Disease J. 2022;41(3):S18.