The Challenges of Home Based Care for Aids Patients in Ethiopia

This is a discriptive cross sectional study to determine factors which can influence and pose challenges for Home Based Care for AIDS Patients . The setting was Entoto Awraja North of Addis Ababa Ethiopia . Four hundred eighty five persons from the community memmbers of Entoto Awraja ; 37 AIDS patients attending counselling and follow up clinic ; and 12 family members who were informed about their patients disease , were interviewed by structured questionnaires, while 127 health institution workers involved in the care of AIDS patients in different health institutions were given self administered questionnairs • The communitys', patients, families and health institution workers ,Knowledge, attitude, beliefs and practices on AIDS , hospital care and home based care of patients was assessed More than 60% of respondents had good knowledge about transmission routes and means of preventions , although 70% of them mentioned nonspesific symptoms of the disease . 61% and 81% of the community and health institution workers respectively did not think the hospital would meet all the needs of AIDS patients , and 57% of the community prefrred Home Care compared to 40% of the patients , 25% of the familly members and 43% of health institution workers. Majority of the the patients and famillies were afraid of social consequenses by beeing exposed due to vists by home care team. 60% of the community responded care team if asked they will .be volunteers for home while only 35% of the health institution workers responded similarly The study reveals considerably good knowledge v among the respondents on AIDS ,with bias towards clinical care and lees emphasis on th psychological support . The community displays less fear for AIDS and more positive attitude towards home care than health intitution workers. Promotional and educational efforts are recommended , with emphasis on health workers for the success of Home Based Care.