| Summary: | Includes bibliography. === This dissertation documents the evaluation of a community health pilot project initiated to care for people living with HIV and AIDS. The evaluation, which was conducted at the request of the project management, emphasises the importance of evaluation for project workers, participants, funders and policy makers, as well demonstrating the role that academics can play in supporting and informing the work of community projects. The evaluation was conducted in two stages. The formative evaluation was initiated in February 1994 and results presented to the project in August 1994. The second phase of the evaluation began in February 1995 and was presented to the project in October 1995. Formative evaluation: The objective of the formative stage was to provide the project with information that would assist in the development of an appropriate and sustainable model of care. The evaluation was based on qualitative methods and a record review of project documentation. In-depth interviews with PWA and their families and household members, observation on visits by project staff to clients' homes, interviews with project staff and committee members, and interviews with people involved HIV clinics in local hospitals, HIV/AIDS organisations and primary health care projects were conducted. The evaluation recommended: * A reduced focus on attendant home nursing of PWA. * A revision of the organisation of care, with professional nursing staff passing more responsibility to the community home-carers. * The extension of services offered to include secondary prevention of AIDS-related illness and increased psychosocial services. * The adoption of the principles of primary health care. Secondary evaluation: The main objective of this phase of the evaluation was to obtain a more quantitative description of clients' experiences of the project. A simple random sample (N=36) of 50% of the project's clients were interviewed to determine their demographic and health profiles; the nature of their involvement with the project; their needs and the extent to which these had been met by the project; their assessment of the services; and their HIV/AIDS knowledge.
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