ABSTRACT
Anemia in HIV-infected individuals, still a common hematologic complication in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era, is associated with shortened survival, increases in the rate of disease progression, and reduction in quality of life. Based on a thorough review of the literature, guidelines were developed for the assessment, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of anemia in patients with HIV/AIDS by a consensus committee consisting of nurses from academia and clinical practice. A major goal of this committee is to increase awareness within the nursing community of the prevalence of anemia in HIV-infected patients and its impact on their lives. Anemia developed in close to 90% of HIV-infected patients before the introduction of HAART, and it is still found in up to 46% of patients in the HAART era. Another goal is to encourage screening for anemia and the adaptation of a proposed classification system of anemia based on a graded decrease in hemoglobin levels.
Subject(s)
Anemia , HIV Infections , Nursing Assessment , Quality of Life , Adolescent , Adult , Anemia/epidemiology , Anemia/etiology , Anemia/nursing , Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active/adverse effects , Female , HIV Infections/complications , HIV Infections/drug therapy , HIV Infections/mortality , Hematocrit , Hemoglobins , Humans , Male , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Prevalence , Reference Values , Severity of Illness Index , Survival RateABSTRACT
Limited research has been conducted regarding the father's relationship with the chronically ill child, particularly the child with cancer. How fathers cope with their child's illness and treatment is relatively unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe uncertainty and consequential coping patterns in fathers of children with cancer. The sample for this descriptive study was obtained from a computerized, nonalphabetized list of children currently undergoing treatment. The fathers were sent a packet of information that contained a letter introducing the study, a demographic data sheet, Mishel's Parent Perception of Uncertainty Scale, and the Jalowiec Coping Scale. Thirty-one of 150 eligible fathers completed the study. The age of the father, the age of the child, and the length of time since diagnosis showed direct correlation to paternal uncertainty and coping. Fathers used coping styles described as evasive, optimistic, and emotive.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Fathers/psychology , Neoplasms/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Cancer Care Facilities , Child , Child, Preschool , Father-Child Relations , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/nursing , Psychological Tests/statistics & numerical data , Southeastern United States , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
The AIDS crisis has paralyzed the minds of many rational individuals. This paralysis of the mind unfortunately is the result of fear and ignorance. The past 10 years of the AIDS crisis has resulted in massive quantities of published reports regarding the biology, pathogenesis, transmission, clinical manifestations, and treatment of the AIDS virus. Yet there are those who still respond hysterically to the AIDS crisis. One group on which the results of much fear and ignorance have fallen is the school-aged child who is HIV infected. This article explores the issues of risk (to other school children and the HIV-infected child), the legal rights of the HIV-infected child to a public education, and the role of the pediatric nurse practitioner in the disclosure of the HIV-infected child's diagnosis.
