NCJ Number
111697
Date Published
1988
Length
197 pages
Annotation
Testimony by public officials; physicians, including the Surgeon General; and substance abuse service providers examine issues related to pediatric acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Abstract
The growing incidence of pediatric AIDS is discussed, and its high incidence among blacks and Hispanics involved in intravenous drug abuse is noted, with special reference to the situation in New York City. The high fatality rates among infants infected in utero with the AIDS virus and issues in caring for such children, many of whom are abandoned by their drug-abusing mothers, are discussed. Programs currently addressing some of these issues are described including hospital, day care, and residential programs for children with AIDS. Initiatives for dealing with the growing crisis are advocated, including revisions in the reimbursement system for medical care, development of foster care options for abandoned AIDS infants, increased training for caregivers and service providers, expanded outreach, and increased support services for families trying to cope with AIDS. Emphasis also is placed on the need for an all-out war on drugs through increased interdiction, law enforcement, and drug education and rehabilitation. The need for increased health education, focusing on strategies for reducing the risk of AIDS transmission, also is urged.