What Kind of Care Do I Need to Get?
Quality Corner
What is "Quality Health Care"? - "Quality" has been defined by the Institute of Medicine. "The degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge." What a mouthful! Simply, it's the best health care that can be given at the right time, at the right place, that's right for each person!
What does that have to do with the Community Strength Project (CSP)? - The CSP, along with physicians and nurses, strive everyday to review the care that is given. This is done to ensure that patients get the best quality health care.
Who decides what is considered "Quality Health Care?" - CSP looks to the experts to help us understand quality health care. Many times, there are "standards", which are like road maps to good health care. Usually, the experts have proof that the treatment will result in better health.
So what is CSP's Quality Corner? - Every other month, CSP will write about a health care topic. CSP will talk about the what, where, when and how, and how the quality of care is evaluated. Please talk to your doctor about these topics.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials, or drug studies sponsored by drug companies, offer eligible clients access to new or experimental drugs and procedures. These are medications that are not usually available to the general HIV public until after FDA approval. While participating in the study, clients not only are helping themselves, but also making a contribution to the advancement of medical treatments available for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Oral Health
If you have HIV/AIDS, it is important to get regular dental checkups. Oral health is a significant problem for those living with HIV/AIDS. Diseases such as thrush, warts, and gum disease occur in approximately 30-80 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide.
Mouth problems can often be the first symptom of HIV infection and can also signify a progression of the disease. Thus, access to oral health care, both for the person at risk for HIV infection and for the individual already living with HIV disease, is critical. Yet, it can be difficult to access care due to many factors: lack of resources, transportation, and dentists unwilling to treat HIV/AIDS patients.
Free dental care is available to those who are living with HIV/AIDS and are eligible for the program through Arizona's Department of Public Health. For enrollment information call (602) 506-6684 or click on the link below:
Oral Health