[Rehabilitation and pensioning. Social network assimilates the HIV patient poorly]

For HIV patients, the social security net contains considerable gaps; for example, more than one-half of the unemployed patients under 55 receive no pension; in the case of those who go on to develop AIDS, the figure is 30%. Apparently, recognition of inability to work depends on the severity of the disability. Nor does the statutory regulation of rehabilitation measures do justice to those infected with HIV. Despite their higher morbidity, they are under-represented by a factor of 10 in comparison with the average in the general population when it comes to medical rehabilitation. While formerly, the HIV-infected were granted a disablement pension relatively quickly, today the pension insurance carriers appear to be adopting a more restrictive attitude, and often grant a pension for only a limited period. Furthermore, the legislation took effect at the beginning of 2001, has also made early pensioning more difficult.