THE USE AND IMPACT OF A COMPUTER-BASED SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH AIDS AND HIV-INFECTION

CHESS (the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System) is an inte ractive, computer-based system to support people facing AIDS/HIV Infec tion and other health-related crises or concerns. CHESS provides infor mation, referral to service providers, support in making tough decisio ns and networking to experts and others facing the same concerns. CHES S is designed to improve access to health and human services for peopl e who would otherwise face psychological, social, economic or geograph ic barriers to receiving services. CHESS has been evaluated in a rando m-assignment study with over 200 men and women living with AIDS and HI V infection. When CHESS was placed in subjects' homes for 3-6 months, use of CHESS was extremely heavy, with the average subject using CHESS 138 times for 39 hours. Compared with a control group which did not r eceive CHESS, subjects who used CHESS reported significantly higher qu ality of life in several dimensions, including social support and cogn itive functioning. Users also reported significant reductions in some types of health care costs, especially inpatient services (hospitaliza tions). All segments of the study population used and benefited from C HESS, including women, minorities and those subjects with lower levels of education. Thus, CHESS appears to be an effective means of deliver ing education and support to the diverse populations which are affecte d by AIDS and HIV infection.