Community-based AIDS research programs were initially federally funded in 1989. Since then, the Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS has mandated that research units develop and maintain community advisory boards to provide advice and communicate community preferences in AIDS research. Seventeen community-based AIDS research units formed community advisory boards (CABs) based on a model developed by the Community Consortium at San Francisco General Hospital. Social workers employed by these AIDS research units surveyed 267 CAB members to ascertain board characteristics and members' perceptions of program activities. Implications for social work and future research are discussed.

There are more students with disabilities going to college than ever before. It is important that colleges understand the experiences of students with disabilities when in university. This research project was carried out by 12 students with intellectual disabilities who are enrolled in an Irish University, under the guidance of their lecturers. It looked at four research questions: (1) What do we like about going to college?; (2) What do we dislike about going to college?; (3) What supports do students with disabilities experience to participation in college?; and (4) what barriers do students with disabilities experience to participation in college? The results show many interesting findings about what students with disabilities experience in college and this information can be used to help colleges to better support students with disabilities.

Social work practitioners and researchers have greatly understudied the idea of how social support correlates with combination therapy medication compliance, in people living with HIV disease. Meanwhile, such data could help health social workers better assist HIV-infected people who want to cope well, live long, and avoid drug resistance. Therefore, this article presents findings from a three-stage empirical secondary data analysis that examined seven specific types of social support, psychological history and stage of illness variables, and sociodemographics and their connection to medication compliance ratings. A sub-sample of 179 HIV-infected clinical trial study participants enrolled in a federally funded combination therapy treatment study and a nested compliance study were analyzed. Analysis of 14 bivariate hypotheses and 20 predictor variables at the multivariate level revealed that having emotional support and being employed seemed to be predictive of being a "Good Complier." Also, having higher levels of HIV symptoms appeared to be associated with being a "Poor Complier."

Older people living with HIV are increasingly requiring formal supportive community-based services. Supportive services are essential to medical care and treatment for older people living with HIV/AIDS. This chapter considers Andersen's behavioral model of health services, and explores the predisposing, enabling, and need factors that affect service utilization among the older HIV population. The Andersen model provides a lens to understand the need for supportive services to go beyond primary medical care. Examples of such services and referrals typically include medical and non-medical case management, clinical provider referrals, mental health and substance use treatment, housing assistance, legal services, nutrition, transportation, home care, emergency assistance, patient education support groups, and other programs such as the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and secondary prevention services. Barriers to assistance and support, and consequences and resources for caregivers are addressed. Aspects surrounding structural inequities, multiple-minority status, and HIV stigma are examined with the goal of offering insight and advocacy ideas for community-based providers and policy makers. In future, the healthcare and supportive services infrastructure must be better equipped to manage the distinctive treatment and care needs of HIV-positive older adults.

This article presents data from an AIDS clinical trial that evaluated 238 (60 percent nonwhite) patients infected with HIV and their clinician's perceptions of medication adherence and visit attendance in relationship to lifestyle, psychosocial, and health belief model (HBM) variables. Twelve sites collected data via a prospective, multisite observational study design involving a companion study to a larger randomized clinical trial. Baseline information was collected by questionnaire and patient self-report on lifestyle; work and health-care experiences; available support; and psychosocial issues, including the HBM constructs. At follow-up visits, clinicians and patients graded medication adherence using the same scale. Patients confidentially reported follow-up information about lifestyle and answered HBM questions. After 12 months, adherence with study visits was associated with older age. Clinicians rated patients as having good adherence significantly more often when those patients were older, were employed at the time of enrollment, exhibited altruism as part of the reason for enrolling in the clinical trial, and thought HIV was very serious. Patients rated themselves as having good adherence significantly more often if they were older, had family or friends who were infected with HIV, and believed that being in the study was worth the trouble.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate how the work experiences of employees in long-term care affected their perceptions and levels of respect and communication. Content considers the effects of professional and non-professional long-term care (LTC) staff's previous work experience, training, and supervision. The notion of hierarchy is raised in the context of its relationship to human rights, because where human right-based care helps to fulfill the humanity of people, the outcome tends to benefit both service users and care providers. As LTC environments continue to expand and reform, they employ a wide range of professional and nonprofessional staff who have varied educational levels, skill sets, and job responsibilities. Staff burnout and high turnover rates concern LTC administrators and federal and state policies do not require much training or continuing education for certified nursing assistants and other non-professional staff. Relationship issues and experience are important considerations because they connect to staff retention and quality patient care. Herein, a sample of 119 LTC employees was divided into two groups, those with prior LTC experience and those without any prior LTC work experience. Four research questions were tested and limitations and implications for future research are discussed. Findings revealed differences between the two groups; employees who had prior LTC experience perceived higher levels of respect toward residents and toward each other than those employees with no prior experience.