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AIDS Treatment Barriers to Comprehensive Care

AIDS/HIV treatment barriers to comprehensive health care vary, especially according to rural versus urban settings. People with living with AIDS face a social stigma that creates discrimination and fear.

  1. Language

    • Language barriers to treatment include the inability to communicate with health care providers. A pictorial language system assists with comprehensive care for learning disabled, nonnative language speakers, and people unable to speak on their own behalf.

    Uninsured

    • Approximately one quarter of people diagnosed with AIDS are uninsured. "The undiagnosed population is more likely to be uninsured persons of color, rely on public assistance, infected through sexual contact, and present to emergency rooms and community clinics," says, Ms. Jennifer Kates, Vice President and Director of HIV Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

    Lack of Transportation

    • Rural settings often experience the barrier of access to health care because of lack of public transportation, or lack of available health clinics.

    Stigma

    • In many countries, living with AIDS creates a fear of discrimination. This causes many AIDS victims to not disclose their condition when seeking care.

    Discrimination

    • Provider discrimination requires contacting legal advocates. Civil rights enforcement handles this barrier to comprehensive AIDS treatment.

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