NCJ Number
115370
Date Published
1988
Length
4 pages
Annotation
In developing countries, the burden of sustaining a community as a result of mortality from AIDS may be on the older generation, particularly grandmothers.
Abstract
A possible scenario in medically underserved, developing communities in which AIDS is transmitted mainly through heterosexual contact is that a father may contract AIDS through a casual contact and infects his wife, who transmits the disease to their unborn child. Over a lengthy period, both parents and one or several infants will die of AIDS. In communities lacking adequate medical, hospice, or counseling facilities, the grandmother, who is likely to outlive the grandfather, is likely to be the person who nurses the AIDS patients over a long period. The grandmother will also have to become the wage earner or food producer. But building large centers or placing specialists in communities is not the most appropriate response. Instead, trainers should be provided to train unskilled community volunteers to instruct and advise grandmothers directly. In addition, development of hospice approaches is needed in countries with higher incidence of AIDS. Promoting cottage and rural industries for the elderly would also be desirable. Establishing these measures would be crucial to ensuring the survival of remaining infants.