HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) is an umbrella term used to describe neurodegenerative disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection and may affect more than 30% of PLHIV (16) regardless of virological suppression (17). The central nervous system acts as a reservoir for HIV with neuronal damage occurring both at the time of initial HIV …
In addition to HAND, PLHIV may be at risk of developing other forms of dementia. Dementia is a term used to describe a group of conditions characterised by gradual impairment of brain function, which may impact cognition, memory, mobility, speech, personality, and behaviour. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease; it is also …
An important concern in HIV care is the concept of premature, accelerated, or accentuated ageing. People with HIV may experience some problems associated with ageing at earlier ages than people who do not have HIV, such as frailty, neurocognitive impairment, and osteoporosis. These concerns have been attributed to the effects of the virus, risk factors …
National Disability Insurance Scheme Guide for carers of older people with HIV – Positive Caring Advance Care Planning Aged care workers and HIV ageing PCA-Guiding-Principles-Voluntary-Assisted-Dying.pdf (palliativecare.org.au) Voluntary assisted dying
If people with HIV are under 65 and experience disabilities, they may be eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). If they are 65 years old or older, or over 50 if they are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, they may be eligible for Aged Care services. Some older PLHIV may be concerned …
While PLHIV are generally living longer and healthier lives, end-of-life issues, and advance care planning (ACP) are often underutilised and overlooked (49, 50). Advance care planning is a form of communication between individuals and their proxies to help plan for future healthcare decisions (51). Factors affecting ACP can include low socio-economic status, lower severity of …
Normal genital anatomical variances; penile sizes; vulval appearances; body image http://www.stiatlas.org/SearchAtlas.aspx Labia Library www://labialibrary.org.au/
The strength of a nurse-led model of care is paramount in the education arena. A nurse with experience in and knowledge of caring for women LHIV in pregnancy and the perinatal period can provide support, counselling and education to the woman and her significant others, and to the wider health and allied health community caring …
Testing for the infant is recommended at various intervals until 18 months of age (11), so the woman should feel safe and supported in a non-judgemental care setting. Maternal antibodies are usually present for at least the first 12 months of the infant’s life, hence the need to delay an HIV antibody test until 18 …
PEP is given to the infant within 4 hours of birth and may be given orally, although it can also be given via a nasogastric tube or intravenously. In most cases, if the baby is categorised as ‘very low risk’ or ‘low risk’ of HIV transmission, PEP will be administered for 2 weeks, twice daily …