Developing An Administrative Model For Implementing HAART Therapy For AIDS Patients In Rural Areas Of Jilin Province,People's Republic Of China

Objective To establish an administrative model for implementing HAART therapy for AIDS patients in rural regions of Jilin Province. Method To accomplish this objective, both the distribution of local and medical health resources and the specific needs of AIDS patients were analyzed. Thereafter, a three tier medical service team (county, town, village) was trained and medical resources were equipped, and AIDS patients were sorted for HAART therapy according to diagnostic standards. Results CD4 count was used to eva luate the treatment effects among 42 participating AIDS patients. Statistically significant improvement in CD4 count was seen between pre and post HAART therapy (x2 = 8.27, P<0.01). Nineteen of thirty-three AIDS patients who had lost their ability to work recovered that ability (x2 = 8.53, P<0.01). Grassroots medical personnel (town and village) proved to be key in providing guidance to both patients and their families. Continuous prevention and anti-discrimination education for participants and their families resulted in high adherence to the treatment regimen and a stable state of psychological well-being. Conclusion An administrative model that emphasizes official commitment, rational allocation of medical resources, and a well-trained, three-tier medical services team approach makes it practical to implement HAART therapy for rural AIDS patients and their families.