Document 0993
 DOCN  M94A0993
 TI    Home care for Italian PWAs: a three year assessment.
 DT    9412
 AU    Bosco O; Serpelloni G; Donini S; Perini GP; Lovati R; Gruppo C Network
       Italiano, Sezione di Screening HIV ULSS 25,; Verona.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(2):233 (abstract no. PB0947). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94371582
 AB    OBJECTIVES: 1. Description of home care unit (HCU) in Verona and working
       procedures. 2. Assessment of three-year experience. METHODS: HCU,
       coordinated by the HIV unit with assistance from a cooperative active in
       social work, is composed of 3 medics (2 internists, 1 psychiatrist), 15
       HC workers, 1 coordinator, 6 part-time social workers, 1 health worker
       and 2 registered nurses. Referral of requests for home care are
       evaluated on the basis of needs, resources and a work plan comprising
       hours of assistance, number of visits and psycho-social support
       required. PWAs enrolled in program and their caretakers are asked to
       fill in qualitative evaluations on a monthly basis. The home care
       activities are conducted as previously described. In the past three
       years 53 PWAs have been assisted; of these 70% were males. In terms of
       risk behaviours, the breakdown is as follows: 38 ex or active IDU
       (71.7%), 4 partner of IDU (7.5%), 5 children (9.4%), 5 homosexuals
       (9.4%), 1 homosexual IDU (1.8%). The average age was 28.5 years for
       males and 31.8 years for women. Of the 53 PWAs assisted, 32 (60.3%) have
       died. The average number of new cases followed in 1991 was 2.5/month; in
       1992, 1.6/month; in 1993, 0.5/month. Outgoing patient figures are as
       follows: 1.8/month in 1991; 1.2/month in 1992; and 0.75/month in 1993.
       In 1991, the cumulative total of hours of work involved amounted to 1337
       (1159 of home care and 177 of nursing care); in 1992 this amounted to
       1687 hours (1496 home care, 242 nursing). The yearly increase was 26%
       and 16% respectively. The number of hours/patient was 119 in 1991, 108
       in 1992 and 171.4 in 1993. CONCLUSIONS: Home care is becoming
       increasingly important in the care of PWAs. This type of intervention is
       necessary to guarantee a better quality of life and to keep PWAs reduce
       length of hospital stays. In our experience, we have seen a progressive
       increase in the hours dedicated to home care.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*NURSING  Adult  Child  Female  *Home
       Care Services/STATISTICS & NUMER DATA  Human  Italy  Male  MEETING
       ABSTRACT

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