AIDS amongst workers: What special factors

Transcript:AIDS amongst workers: What special factors:
AIDS amongst workers: What special factors influence the access and adherence of workers? Lecture 5 For nurses to gain a solid understanding of the special HIV-management needs of HIV positive workers to optimize access and adherence To equip nurses with the resources to advise employers on: The value of workplace HIV management support and/or services How workplaces can best support HIV positive workers to optimize access and adherence Aim of lecture Background on HIV management in the workplace The cost of untreated HIV to employers Models of HIV management Concrete recommendations that nurses can offer workplaces Summary Group discussion Lecture overview 90% of HIV positive people are adults Adult HIV prevalence rate in 2008 in sub-Saharan Africa was 5.2% All the 9 most southern African countries have adult HIV prevalence rates of over 10% Some workplaces have higher than average HIV rates among their workers Mining, manufacturing, transport Why do some sectors (such as mining or transport) have higher HIV rates than others (such as financial services)? Discuss. 1. Background: HIV among workers Until recently, HIV was often not been seen as a major issue by businesses Survey of 80 enterprises in SA: managers ranked HIV as 9th most important (out of 10 priorities) (Connelly and Rosen 2005) Out of 860 manufacturing firms about 1/3 invest in HIV prevention (Ramachandra, Shah and Turner 2007) Responses are improving recently (George 2006) ART more affordable and available Maturing epidemic Activist pressure, corporate culture 1. Background: Business responses to HIV Small and medium companies do less Per-employee cost for HIV assistance higher Losses because of HIV muted by other pressures Larger companies tend to do more about HIV Better organized human resource departments Pressure worker groups, customers, internationally Partner with NGOs or government health resources Of 52 largest employers in South Africa, around 50% provide ART Helping small and medium sized companies provide more HIV management for workers an important next step 1. Background: Small versus large workplaces The provision of treatment to HIV infected employees is a response to the epidemic which more and more companies are adopting every year (George 2006) Discussion point From a business perspective, what are some of the costs of ‘doing nothing’ about HIV? Financial costs? Emotional, social, other costs? 2. Cost of untreated HIV to businesses Varies from workplace to workplace Direct costs: sick leave, medical care, death benefits, funeral costs, recruiting and retraining new employees