Access and equity in HIV/AIDS palliative care: a review of the evidence and responses. Although there is evidence for both need and effectiveness of palliative care in HIV patient care, access is often poor and care less than optimal. The aim of this review is to identify barriers and inequalities in HIV palliative care to inform policy and service development. Medical databases were searched and evidence extracted into the barrier and inequity categories of patient, clinician, service, and disease factors. A model of the barriers and inequalities is presented and recommendations made for promoting access and outcomes through integrated palliative care from diagnosis to end-of-life. Investigators discuss service responses that have attempted to increase access to palliative care. Harding R, Easterbrook P, Higginson IJ, Karus D, Raveis VH, Marconi K. Palliat Med. 2005 Apr;19(3):251-8. Read more. PubMed Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15920940&query_hl=14 Credit: All abstracts retrieved from PubMed, developed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City ©2005 Continuum Health Partners, Inc. www.stoppain.org/palliative_care