The number of clients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) requiring home care in this country has rapidly increased. Several factors can account for this increase. The primary factor is the continuing rise in the number of reported cases. As of January, 1986, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 1986) had reported 16,458 cases with the number expected to double within the next year. The majority of clients with AIDS require long-term treatment for infection or cancer. Hospitalization for such treatment is extremely expensive, and many clients have lost their jobs and insurance coverage, ruling out such care. In addition to not being able to afford lengthy hospitalization, some clients choose home care in order to have better access to their normal support systems. Yet another factor is the increased availability of home care services due to the industry's rapid growth. Highly technical procedures such as ventilation, chemotherapy, and intravenous (IV) hydration, which in the past were only done in a hospital or clinic setting, are now commonplace in home care.
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