This article advocates for the development and implementation of a model of care to guide rehabilitation of people living with HIV in South Africa. The paper begins by presenting the emerging evidence of rehabilitation in the context of HIV, and goes on to identify appropriate steps to develop a model of care based on this that would be applicable to South Africa
In this paper, the researchers develop a needs-based home-based rehabilitation programme for people living with HIV in order to improve their quality of life and functional ability. The study aims to provide rehabilitation professionals and researchers with evidence that can be utilised to improve existing rehabilitation interventions for people living with HIV.
The paper outlines a randomised control trial to test the programme, to be conducted at a public hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The trial will assess the participants’ quality of life, perceived level of disability, functional ability and endurance
"An increasing number of individuals may be living with the health-related consequences of HIV and its associated treatments, a concept we term disability. However, the context in which disability is experienced from the HIV perspective is not well understood. The purpose of this paper is to describe the contextual factors that influence the experiences of disability from the perspective of adults living with HIV"
This is the editorial to a thematic secion of JIAS on HIV and disability. "With the success of antiretrovirals and increased access to this lifesaving treatment, the life expectancy of people living with HIV has been substantially increased and, in many instances, is comparable to that of the general population. However, HIV infection, as well as its treatment, can cause physical, psychological or social disabilities that prevent people living with HIV from full and equal participation in society. At the same time, there is evidence that people with disabilities are at greater risk of contracting HIV. Although more attention is being paid to these overlapping fields, the field of HIV and disability remains largely overlooked"
This policy brief discusses the actions needed to increase the participation of persons with disabilities in the response to HIV and to ensure that they have access to HIV services which are both tailored to their diverse needs and equal to the services available to others in the community. Recommendations of actions for governments, civil society and aid agencies are provided, having been defined in consultation with a broad range of stakeholders including people living with HIV and persons with disabilities. An example from South Africa is highlighted. This document is beneficial for anyone working in disability and development with HIV and AIDS
Using the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a reference point, this paper considers the physical and psychological impact of HIV diagnosis on people and the extent to which HIV is makes sense to consider a disability. It is illustrated with experiences of people living with HIV from around the world
This is a practical manual about mental health care, aimed at community health workers, primary care nurses, social workers and primary care doctors. It describes more than 30 clinical problems associated with mental illness, using a problem-solving approach to guide the reader through their assessment and management. It addresses the lack of understanding of mental health among many health workers
This booklet contains brief descriptions of sexual health, sexuality and HIV for young people with and without disabilities. It highlights issues connected with communicating with young people on sexuality and HIV and sexual health. A list of training manuals, books and documents relating to sex and HIV is also included