Healthcare needs of HIV-infected persons in hospital, outpatient, home, and long-term care settings

Abstract

In this descriptive study, healthcare needs reported by 386 HIV-infected persons from all risk categories and their primary nurses from four care settings (hospital, outpatient, long-term care, and home) are identified. Healthcare needs were classified into four domains of nursing practice using a conceptual framework from community health nursing--physiologic, psychosocial, health behaviors, environmental--and were assessed using the Healthcare Needs Scale for Patients with HIV/AIDS. Nurses' perceptions of major healthcare needs across all settings centered around decreased physical endurance, limited physical mobility, and sensory deficits. Patients' needs focused on financial issues. The results reflect the multidimensional nature of this infection and provide direction for clinical practice.