HIV and AIDS care: consumers’ views on needs and services

Increasing numbers of people suffer from HIV infection, in many sectors of society. However, the extent to which health care services meet their needs is open to question. This study aimed to gather consumer views and assess the extent to which care was adequate, through interviews with 85 clients. Their responses were then compared with those of service providers (published in this journal 2 years ago). Overall there was a general expression of appreciation and satisfaction, although in many cases financial and social deprivation was so extreme that it appeared that established services could not compensate. However, the need for better housing and more confidentiality of records was emphasized. The need for greater security from the consequences of prejudice was felt strongly and many distressing incidents were recounted. The major contrast between consumers' and service providers' views focused on whether separate and specialist provision was required. Providers were aware that care would need to be integrated with other generalist services in the future in order to cope with the scale of need, while consumers were keen to retain specialist clinics and wards to protect their confidentiality and sustain the level of expertise they appreciated. Within this sample, however, minority groups wished to have their particular needs recognized, in particular women with children and heterosexual males resented being grouped with the majority group of consumers with HIV/AIDS.