The impact of a modular HIV/AIDS palliative care education programme in rural Uganda

Over 1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda and there is a need for the provision of comprehensive palliative care. There is minimal literature with regard to the provision of palliative care in Uganda and there is no evaluation literature on the quality of palliative care education programmes. The aim of the study was to conduct an evaluation of a modular HIV/AIDS palliative care education programme undertaken in rural Uganda by the Mildmay Centre. The evaluation was based on a case study design where the researcher worked alongside the training team. It was undertaken in Rukungiri district and participants on the programme were drawn from four different health facilities within the district. The evaluation took place between January 2004 and December 2005 and multiple sources of data were used. Forty interviews and twenty focus group discussions were held, the work of the mobile training team was observed, documents reviewed and a research diary maintained by the researcher. A perceived and reported impact was seen at the patient and community level, participant level, health facility and district levels. An increase in access to care by people living with HIV/AIDS was seen as stigma was reduced and the attitudes of health workers towards people living with HIV/AIDS improved. Strengths and weaknesses of the programme were identified along with recommendations for future programmes.