The development of a comprehensive interdisciplinary HIV/AIDS center: a community needs assessment

Meeting the needs of HIV-infected patients in a focused, cost-efficient, coordinated manner is one of the most challenging problems in health care today. Before developing an intervention program, accurate surveys of need must be done. This article presents one such needs assessment conducted in a rural section of the Midwest. The assessment consisted of (1) surveys of HIV+ individuals/people with AIDS, area physicians, and local key informants and service providers, and (2) statistical data from health departments. Results of analyses suggest that access to primary care, self-care education, mental health and family support services, case management, financial assistance, community education, and home health services are this community's highest priority needs.