THE IMPACT OF HIV-INFECTION IN A RURAL HOSPITAL IN HAITI

To assess the impact of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) infection on the patients treated at the Medicine Department of the Ho spital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in Haiti and the economic costs to this institution that their medical care caused, a group of HIV infected p atients was followed and compared to a control group of non-infected p atients. Infected patients had a significantly higher number of diagno ses suggestive of HIV infection and of sexually transmitted diseases ( STDs) and also had a higher rate of mortality during the follow-up per iod. Infected patients attended the out-patient Medicine Clinic and we re hospitalized more frequently than non-infected patients. The yearly cost of treating an HIV patient was estimated to be about US $860. We suggest that a wider use of HIV testing might be beneficial among pat ients such as ours for providing adequate care for them if the necessa ry resources are made available.