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SPNS/Fax: An Electronic Report from HRSA/HAB's SPNS Cooperative Agreements:
Volume 3, Issue 17 (August 21, 1998)
This document has been superceded by our Online Knowledge Base on Innovative Models of HIV/AIDS Care. Click here to access the Knowledge Base. Click here to access descriptions of 27 Innovative Models of HIV/AIDS Care and the lessons learned from these projects. SPNS/Fax was written, published, and distributed by fax by The Measurement Group between 1995 and 1998. |
Information dissemination from 27 Innovative Models of HIV Care projects funded as Special Projects of National Significance by the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Introduction
Welcome to SPNS/Fax: An Electronic Report from HRSA/HAB's SPNS Cooperative Agreements. In each issue of SPNS/Fax, we will highlight findings from the HRSA Special Projects of National Significance Program Cooperative Agreements. The projects have been funded to develop innovative models of HIV/AIDS care. SPNS/Fax reports are distributed every two weeks by fax machine to all subscribers. All issues of SPNS/Fax are also available at this Web site. Due to slight differences in the media, issues distributed by fax machine may appear slightly different from those posted on this Web site, but the content is identical.
WomensLink Improves Access to Care for Women with HIV
PROTOTYPES WomensLink is a community-based outpatient program designed to deliver a comprehensive, "seamless" continuum of medical, mental health and social services to women living with HIV/AIDS and their families. The project offers an easily accessible, store-front facility where women and families can receive guidance and counseling, professional and peer supportive services, referrals and resource information, and opportunities for socialization.
Through these services, WomensLink aims to improve access to care, adherence to recommended therapies, and overall functioning among women with HIV. In an ongoing evaluation study, 48 women who have been clients for at least six months were interviewed to compare levels of service access and utilization before and after their involvement with WomensLink. Clients ranged from 24 to 49 years of age and were 55.3 percent African American, 28.9 percent Latina, and 7.9 percent Caucasian (7.9 percent were other or unknown ethnicities).
How does WomensLink improve access to care for women with HIV? A number of strategies have been demonstrated to be successful in linking women to needed services, including expanding service linkages, improving adherence, and increasing the level of active participation in the women’s care.
Linking women to services.
More than two out of three women
(68.7 percent) reported receiving no social services before coming to WomensLink. Of those
receiving social service referrals from WomensLink, nearly all (91.3 percent) followed
through by obtaining the recommended services. Overall, more than half the women
interviewed (58.3 percent) received services from a greater number of sources since coming
to WomensLink.
Providing supportive services.
Women interviewed indicated that
supportive services provided by WomensLink helped them access needed medical care. For
example, a lack of transportation was the most frequently reported barrier (by 33.3
percent of the women) to receiving care prior to coming to WomensLink; 64.3 percent of the
women reported availing themselves of transportation services from WomensLink to access
medical care. Two other examples by which the program enhanced the women’s ability to
access care included explaining treatment issues to the women (reported by 57.1 percent of
the women), and advocating for women's unique service needs (reported by 50.0 percent of
the women).
Providing access to new treatment opportunities.
Lack of
knowledge as to various treatment options was also a frequently reported barrier to care
among the women (25.0 percent). One way that WomensLink addressed this barrier was to
increase access to medical care for the women by linking close to half of those
interviewed (43.8 percent) to an HIV clinical trial or other related study.
Improving adherence and participation in care.
In comparing how
often they missed scheduled medical appointments before and after being enrolled in
WomensLink. 68.7 percent of the women reported that they rarely or never missed their
medical appointments since coming to WomensLink. 77.1 percent of the women reported that
the program helped them adhere to treatment prescribed by a healthcare professional.
The results of these follow-up interviews demonstrate WomensLink's ability to reduce barriers to care and increase linkages, thereby expanding involvement in medical and social services, improving access to care, and maintenance of the overall functioning of women with HIV.
For further information about the PROTOTYPES WomensLink program contact Vivian B. Brown, Ph.D., 5601 Slauson Avenue, #200, Culver City, CA, 90230, 310.641.7795, 310.649.3096 (fax), protoceo@aol.com (e-mail).
Based on a presentation at the August 1998 annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco: Melchior, LA, Brown, VB, Hughes, C, Ishihara, KK, & Huba, GJ (1998). Service histories of HIV-positive Women: Implications for access and utilization.
SPNS/Fax is produced by The Measurement Group–PROTOTYPES Evaluation and
Dissemination Center (EDC). Editorial comments should be made to
The Measurement Group at 5811A Uplander
Way, Culver City, California 90230, 310.216.1051, 310.670.7735 (fax).
Copyright © 1996-2005 by The Measurement Group LLC. All rights reserved. This may not be current and will not be updated.