HIV as a Chronic Condition

HIV disease has all the features of a chronic condition. The course of HIV disease varies among individuals, with complications such as opportunistic infections (OIs) emerging at different times throughout the trajectory of the illness. The goal of healthcare is lifelong: to keep the individual as healthy as possible through health-promoting behaviors. These include good nutrition and ongoing risk reduction, tuberculosis preventive therapy, early detection and management of OIs, prescription of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and comprehensive care to address diverse medical, psychosocial, spiritual, legal, and human rights needs.

In resource-limited settings, Family Health International works with health authorities and community organizations to adopt practices that address the chronic needs of people living with HIV, needs that change throughout a lifetime. FHI-supported programs incorporate interventions that reflect the principles of chronic care. For example:

• HIV-infected patients are prepared to assume a central role in their own healthcare and to work as "experts" who educate, counsel, and support others living with the condition.
• To promote the patient's role in managing their health, healthcare providers prioritize information-sharing and building patients' skills in problem-solving and caring for themselves.
• Networks of healthcare providers and community services establish functional partnerships and referral processes that facilitate patient access to services across the care continuum.
• Practicing prevention as a part of ongoing care prevents transmission of the virus to others and avoids reinfection.

Related FHI Publications:

Managing Chronic Conditions: Optimizing Health throughout Life (2009)

Other Resources:
The Lancet Preventing Chronic Diseases Series (2005)

The Lancet Chronic Diseases: the Case for Urgent Global Action (2007)

World Health Organization Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions: Building Blocks for Action (2002)

World Health Organization Preventing Chronic Diseases: A Vital Investment (2005)