This program will begin with a brief explanation of HIV/AIDS infection. National statistics will be presented and discussed. Included in this discussion are national and regional infection rates, groups affected/infected by the disease, the changing demographics of individuals newly infected (women, young adults), and current treatments.
Although AIDS cannot be cured, current treatments are effective in prolonging the lives of people with AIDS. In the early 1980's, the average life expectancy of a person diagnosed with full-blown AIDS was eleven months. Currently, the average has been extended to over three years. Those individuals are classified as long-term survivors of AIDS.
Long-term survivors of AIDS generally have outlived their life expectancies. The psychological and social stressors related to this fact are tremendous. Research data suggest that long-term survivors have many characteristics and coping strategies in common. Included are a positive attitude, healthy lifestyle, personal responsibility, remaining active, social supports, and seeking counseling during their infection.
Counseling can be effective at many points during the life span of a person dealing with AIDS. Counseling can assist with the initial shock of learn of one's HIV status. It can help those who are moving into the symptomatic stage of the HIV disease or those being diagnosed with AIDS. Counseling can be particularly helpful for long-term survivors of AIDS. In addition, other issues which can arise are prolonged grief and multiple losses. For example, long-term survivors of AIDS experience such personal losses as dealing with health, career, and the lives of others infected by AIDS.
This program will close by presenting a crisis model that will help professionals identify and effectively deal with these issues.