Ethical Dilemmas Of Intensivists In ICU Admission Of Patients With HIV / AIDS

HIV/AIDS is one of the main challenges facing South Africa today. It is estimated that of the 33.4 million people living with the human immunodeficiency virus worldwide in 2008, more than 67% were from sub-Saharan Africa. As a result South Africa, as a resource constrained country with a high burden of disease, needs to use best available evidence of outcomes for patients with HIV infection and ICU care, with respect to applicable laws, ethical principles and clinical guidelines to enable appropriate use of scarce resources. The purpose of this study is to develop best practice admission criteria for patients with HIV infection requiring intensive care. The study would be in two parts. 1. The first part would be by search of the literature to study the health impact of HIV/AIDS and the regulatory and ethical framework in South Africa (a resource constrained country) compared with the USA (a resource rich country) concerning patients with HIV infection and access to intensive care services. A search of the literature would also be undertaken to establish current best practices by Physicians regarding HIV infection and admission to intensive care in Brazil,India and Botswana.

Autorentext

Dr K Naidoo is Head of Clinical Unit- Family Medicine, with A Masters Degree in Family Medicine and PhD- Medicine-Univ. of KwaZulu-NatalThesis entitled "Ethical Dilemmas Encountered by Critical Care Specialists in the Admission of HIV infected patients to Intensive Care." Dr Naidoo also sits on UKZN-Biomedical Research Ethics Committee.