Abstract Book Vol. 2 [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

294 Abstracts WePeF6861-WePeF6865

XIV International AIDS Conference

tion. 32% of medical doctors experienced fatigue and emotional exhaustion, 39%
- had stress associated with work problems, 21% - felt uncertain and wanted to
improve professionally Professional psychological support was substituted for interaction with colleagues at the end of a working day Counseling 10-20 patients
a day within a short period of time (2-3 hours) medical doctors experienced the
following feelings: impotence, compassion, despair and, sometimes, irritation.
Conclusions: To prevent "burnout" syndrome among medical doctors counseling
on HIV/AIDS issues in Russia it is necessary:
1.To have optimum work load for medical doctors by increasing numbers of work
positions and counseling time for a patient;
2.To enhance professional level of HIV/AIDS consultants;
3.To provide specialists with regular psychological support.
Presenting author: Elena Lioubaeva, 77-72, Anadyrsky proezd, Moscow,
129336, Russian Federation, Russian Federation, Tel.: [phone], Fax:
[phone], E-mail: [email protected]
WePeF6861I Implanting telephone inquiries: strategies for
telephone counseling and how to develop the
prevention service
D.A. Gongalves, T.M.S. Vilela, S.L.G. Oliveira, R.M.V. Lira, I.C. Silva,
C.A. Santos, A.O.F Godoy. SDT/AIDS State Programme of Sao Paulo, Rua
Santa Cruz, 81, Vila Mariana, Sao Paulo, 04121000, Brazil
Issues: In the State of Sao Paulo, from 1980 through 1998, 70,187 cases of
AIDS were notified, comprehending 48,3% of total cases notified in Brazil. The
STD/AIDS Hotline provided by the State Health Authority received an increasing
number of phone calls, mainly from 1998 on, when a 800 (toll free) hotline was
made available, reaching an average of 2,500 calls per month.
Description: The services are intended to reduce the population's vulnerability
by offering information on the public services belonging to the STD/AIDS system,
guidance to safer practices, where counseling is used a conceptual approach to
develop listening actions. In 2001, the service started to be trained to generate
scientific input for the planning of public policies in STD/Aids prevention. Technical and logistic diagnoses have identified the need for technical equipment and
the systematic investigation of the flow and topics appearing in the calls to the
service. In this context, a strategic project was started in 2002 for institutional
development and the structuring of resources aimed at populational research.
Lessons learned: Differences among team professionals regarding the level of
knowledge of methodological procedures, differences in the ability to handle complex calls and the need to provide these professionals with proper training to conduct interviews intended for phone inquiries, were the major topics around which
the training of the team was conceived. Developing a telephone-based counseling
technology can be seen as a strategy to provide proper training for professionals
working on this service and to disseminate information adequately
Recommendation: Activities of ongoing training should be provided based on the
everyday counseling routine, which is a feasible strategy for the technical qualification of scientific and methodological concepts when implementing telephonebased research activities.
Presenting author: Dreyf de Assis Gongalves, Rua Santa Cruz, 81, Vila Mariana, Sao Paulo, 4121000, Brazil, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone],
E-mail: [email protected]
WePeF6862 A model for culturally-mediated psychosocial care
of PWHA's in an Ethiopian immigrant population in
Israel
E. Rubinstein1, H. Nagosa2, S. Maayan1. 'Hadassah University Hospital,
Hadassah University Hospital, Social Work Dept, Kiryat Hadassah, POBox
12000, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel; 2Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel
Issues: In a group of over 120 Ethiopian immigrants who arrived in Israel between
1998-2001 and who are treated at our AIDS Center, psychosocial distress was
found to be extremely high (abstract #ThPeB5249, The XII International AIDS
Conference, 2000). Since 1991 all immigrants from Ethiopia to Israel are tested
for HIV soon after arrival in this country. Therefore, in this group the stress of an
HIV diagnosis is compounded by the stress of immigration. A model for the provision of culturally-appropriate psychosocial care involving collaboration between
a medical social worker and a cultural mediator (a veteran Ethiopian immigrant
who functions as a "cultural bridge") was developed.
Description: The social worker and the cultural mediator collaborate throughout
assessment and intervention, while focusing on the cultural constructs that underlie both psychosocial distress and effective psychosocial care in a cross-cultural
setting.
This qualitative study is based on 20 case analyses that exemplify not only
the manner in which cultural factors express themselves in the construction of
distress, but also the difficulties inherent in providing culturally-appropriate psychosocial supportive care in a hospital context. In addition, ways in which personal

experience may be determined by cultural factors are revealed.
Lessons learned: Attention to cultural frameworks and parameters is crucial if
the psychosocial distress of immigrant PWHA's is to be understood and effectively addressed. Such attention demands a degree of flexibility within hospital
systems.
Recommendations: Collaboration between professionals and cultural mediators
can make an important contribution to AIDS care in a cross-cultural setting.

Presenting author: Estelle Rubinstein, Hadassah University Hospital, Social
Work Dept, Kiryat Hadassah, PRO.Box 12000, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel, Tel.: +972
2 642 27 58, Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
WePeF6863 First way to help people with HIV infection
D.G. Gonzalez. MINSAP - GAM, Zanja 613 apto 5 e/oquendo y soledad Centro
Habana. C. Habana CP 10300, Cuba
Issues: In order to know the incidence of HIV in the Cuban population, since
1995 we are promoting the anonymous test, face to face concealing and giving
information about other STI.
Description: The Cuban community of HIV patients has promoted many courses
and meetings to training volunteers in human communication.
Lessons learned: Day by day more and more people come to us to receive our
help in many ways, that has contributed to chance and replanting the national
policy to fight versus increasing of HIV infection.
Recommendations: That will be a good way to help people in other countries
and communities as African and southamerican social base community joining
efforts with many groups of Cuban medic and paramedic in these regions.
Presenting author: Danilo Gonzalez, Zanja 613 apto 5 e/ oquendo y soledad
Centro Habana. C. Habana CP 10300, Cuba, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: amistadpositiva@ hotmail.com
WePeF6864 Living with HIV/AIDS in Argentina: a meeting
space experience
D. Accorinti, V. Navas, R. Lopez. Hospital General Zonal de Agudos "Manuel
Be/grano", San Martin, Argentina
We describe a group experience aimed to improve the quality of life of HIV/AIDS
people. This three-year old program is carried out on a medium-sized public hospital at a low-income state in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The program consists of a community-based environment in which they can share experiences and find solutions to living with HIV/AIDS. This interdisciplinary initiative
was a response to the need for social and emotional support of the patients during diagnosis and treatment. The programs works as an open group coordinated
by an assistant worker and a general practitioner. Weekly meetings are open
to any HIV/AIDS patient. There patients can discuss different aspects of living
with HIV/AIDS which are usually very difficult to tackle elsewhere. Through these
meetings patients are also introduced into different aspects of the infection, in order to get a better comprehension of the disease and hence a more favourable
attitude to possible medical treatment. So far, 50 people have participated in a
total of 120 reunions with an average attendance of 6 participants. Among other
activities, the group has provided technical assistance to the patients about to be
registered in the National Program Against AIDS. Beside this, we have provided
support during problematical situations at work and within the family Much of the
work has been aimed to self-finance its activities, due to lack of resources product
of a very difficult economic situation. This has indeed motivated great sense of
solidarity among the group members, with the participants offering to each other
their specific services/abilities. Donations have been received that allowed to provide economic assistance to the group members. This program is clearly helping
in solving difficult situations and improving the quality of life of the patients. We
are currently seeking for alternatives to finance the continuity and to expand the
activities and services of this program.
Presenting author: Valeria Navas, Cuba 2676 7mo B, Capital Federal, Argentina, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
WePeF6865 Psychosocial predictors that are adherence
factors in HAART
A. Silverio, A. Abadi, T. Merino, J. Benetucci. Fundai, Hospital MuFiz,
Uspallata2272, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Background: Adherence critically influences HAART results as it has a direct
relationship in preserving the efficiency of the medication. One objective is to explore the predicative value of the psychosocial factors such as psycho/somatic
disorders, conflicts in social and familial relationships, the traumatic effect of the
reigning socio-economic situation in relation to the fulfillment of HAART. Another
objective is to analyze the force that transforms social problems into subjective
suffering.
Methods: A 10-point questionnaire was designed to find out about adherence.
The questionnaire and an interview included several variables of a possible forecast value, as are psychosocial factors. One hundred HIV positive patients (20
women, 80 men) between 22 and 55 years of age from different social and geographic strata were interviewed and questioned over the period between August
2000 and October 2001.
Results: Of all the patients that were interviewed, 40% demonstrated good ad
herence; 38% admitted having interrupted treatment at some point; 17% fulfilled
treatment intermittently; and 5% totally abandoned treatment. The reasons for
non-adherence were: 50% interrupted treatment because of having lost their jobs,
separation, abandonment of a family member; 34% had serious economic problems, lived a great distance away from the hospital, cost of transportation, extreme
poverty, marginality; and 10% suffered depression, stress, addictions, immunological deterioration.