Treatment Difficult for HIV Patients in Georgia

Georgia is divided into 10 separate health districts. The northeast health district serves the counties of Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton.

Clinics are located in every county to provide HIV testing for residents, but the Specialty Care Clinic, the only clinic in the 10-county district that treats HIV-positive individuals, is located in Athens.

For some people, getting there is a challenge.

“Transportation remains a big issue with keeping clients compliant,” said Cassandra Bray, assistant director and case manager at AIDS Athens, referring to making sure patients see their doctors regularly.

The Specialty Care Clinic teams with AIDS Athens to make sure HIV patients in the district receive both testing and care.

AIDS Athens, which also serves the entire district, travels to various counties throughout the year providing testing services to residents.

Funding is also needed for assisting patients with maintaining care.

“At our office we probably have $2,400 a year towards transportation costs,” said Bray.

Jane Powell, a case manager at the Specialty Care Clinic, also recognizes that transportation makes constant care difficult for patients. The clinic has money set aside to assist patients with transportation.

“We do give gas vouchers,” Powell said. “It’s just been hard.”

For those with cars gas vouchers help, but for others outside of Clarke County without transportation, care is all but impossible to receive.

Infectious-disease doctors treat patients with HIV, and there are no infectious disease doctors outside of the Specialty Care Clinic. Bray said patients are referred to either Atlanta or Augusta if they have their own insurance.

Powell said there have been times when the Clinic has paid for taxis for its patients.

Although both AIDS Athens and the Specialty Care Clinic work diligently to help HIV-positive residents, many still do not receive treatment.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new HIV surveillance program show that the number of people living with HIV and AIDS is on the rise.

The high number of cases has been attributed to the fact that many are not getting tested, and those who test positive are not receiving treatment.

Patients at the Athens Health Department are encouraged to take an HIV test if they are found to engage in risky behavior.

“Whenever someone comes in to get an STD exam, we strongly encourage them to get an HIV test,” said Marcia Massengil, county nurse manager for the health department.

There are still many people in the area who are hesitant about getting tested.

“The stigma is still there, especially in the rural areas,” Powell said.

Many are unwilling to get tested for HIV for fear that others will view them negatively.

Government funding for HIV care is dependent on the number of reported cases in an area.

The CDC has improved its surveillance technique and discovered that the amount of estimated cases of HIV cited for the past few years has been significantly under the actual number.

Though the CDC ranks Georgia in the top 10 states for reported HIV cases, the federal government has reduced funding to many of the programs throughout Georgia deciding instead to concentrate funding in states that are able to monitor prevalence rates more accurately.

Many programs suggest that more funding be allocated to assist with establishing a proper network capable of monitoring their patients.