Theatres--the power and the gory?
It is over ten years since the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta Georgia became aware of the first cases of what has now been recognised as the global pandemic of AIDS. There have now been reports from over 170 countries and the World Health Organisation estimates that 13 million people have been infected by the virus. This new threat has created enormous challenges for all health care workers; in addition to being a newly recognised disease the issues raised by HIV and AIDS touch upon every taboo in our society. Traditionally these are issues which have been badly handled by many healthcare workers. Of these the most obvious is death and dying of young people (25% of people with HIV are under 24 years old), but they also include drug use and the old chestnuts of sex and sexuality. The disease has tested the strengths of both individuals and organisations. All too often the cracks have shown.
Rogers
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D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009873:Operating Rooms; D016635:Universal Precautions