HIV/AIDS Fact Sheets & Abstracts

Persons living with HIV or AIDS, either symptomatic or asymptomatic, have physical impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities and therefore are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act.In response to concerns that obstacles and prejudices towards persons living with HIV or AIDS still exist in seeking training and/or employment, the Department of Justice published a technical assistance fact sheet. 

In August 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated estimates of the rate of HIV in the United States:  56,300 new infections occurred in the U.S. in 2006.  This number represents an over 40% increase to the previous annual estimates of 40,000.

Working as clinicians, administrators, case/care managers, educators, and volunteers, social workers have and continue to provide expertise through research, policy, and direct services in HIV prevention, care and treatment. Yet social workers worldwide face conflicting demands that make it difficult to stay current on the range of practice issues necessary to ensure comprehensive services to persons living with HIV/AIDS and related chronic illnesses.

The course addresses HIV/AIDS within a bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective, and includes a brief overview of psycho-social issues of HIV disease progression, including adherence issues. Participants will increase their skills in identifying and distinguishing client/consumer’s common psychological reactions to living with HIV/AIDS from those that warrant a mental health diagnosis; discuss dual and multiples diagnoses; and be able to differentiate mental health disorders from neuro-psychiatric complications. 

Scarce resources, confidentiality protections, end of life issues, mandatory reporting requirements, as well as clients’ issues such as homelessness, substance use and abuse, and challenges presented by adherence to medical treatments, often confront social workers with difficult decisions.  All of these issues can raise ethical questions or dilemmas for the  practitioner - both at the micro and macro level of practice.

Social work with clients affected by HIV/AIDS often includes working with clients who are involved in substance use and abuse.  For some clients,  HIV and substance abuse are identifiable cofactors.  For others, substance use begins with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, or as they find themselves slipping on the path of recovery while living with HIV.