Expanding the reach of palliative care to community-based home care programs.
This article describes a pilot project, run over a two-year period in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It was aimed at assessing the impact of a model of introducing a palliative care component and professional supervision of community caregivers on the quality of care given to people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. The use of the African Palliative Care Association African Palliative Outcome Scale as an assessment tool is outlined, and the challenges and outcomes encountered by the various role players are listed. The overall conclusion is that this model is a cost-effective way of increasing access to palliative care in resource poor settings.
Defilippi
Kathleen M
KM
Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa, Pinelands, South Africa. kath@hpca.co.za
Cameron
Sue
S
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends*; D013019:South Africa; D055815:Young Adult