WHAT IS ARIC’s AIDS MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA?
| ARIC’s AIDS MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA is the website archive of all the information on HIV/AIDS currently maintained by the AIDS Research Information Center, Inc. This information has been reformatted as hypertext documents (html format) and as html-compatible images (.jpg, .gif, and .avi formats) to allow its presentation on the Internet’s World Wide Web. We have designed the pages of the Encyclopedia to allow fast access by even very slow computers, since the majority of those with HIV/AIDS and their service providers cannot reasonably be expected to possess high-powered and expensive machines. We have followed the same principle in our choice of information: most is written in simple language geared to the HIV infected layman-patient. ARIC’s AIDS MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA provides a comprehensive collection of informational materials on AIDS from what we consider to be the best and most reliable sources currently available. The most unique feature of this archive is that it provides information from many sources in a single convenient location. The information here is intended for those who are already infected, and are in need of reliable treatment information. The AIDS Medical Encyclopedia does NOT contain information related to the prevention of HIV/AIDS, nor does it provide epidemiologic or statistical information on the spread of HIV/AIDS throughout the US and/or the world. Our concern is strictly and only to help those already infected with the virus to more fully understand the complex processes by which HIV slowly destroys the essential protective immune response to infectious diseases and cancer, and to outline what steps HIV-infected individuals can take to reduce or delay the onslaught of the virus through effective and timely medical care.
This information is provided to serve as a general guide or framework of knowledge, within which HIV positive persons, in partnership with their primary care physicians, can begin to build a coherent and effective plan of medical care and treatment for HIV infection and its sequelae. This is a process called “Patient Empowerment,” and our intention is to encourage this vital process among our readers with HIV. To understand what patient empowerment is, and why it is so essential to the survival of People with HIV, please our introductory articles “On the Doctor-Patient Relationship” and “What is Patient Empowerment?“ |
ENCYCLOPEDIA WEBSITE HIERARCHY
| The website is arranged into four general topic areas and two appendixes: HIV/AIDS and the Immune System – basic information on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the syndrome it causes: Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome; a general overview of the immune system; how HIV may actually cause the immune suppression leading to opportunistic diseases; how to understand the blood tests done on those with HIV; and information on how to live with and prevent HIV infection. Opportunistic Infections – descriptions of all the various opportunistic diseases that afflict People with HIV, giving symptoms, incidence, and the most current information on prevention and treatment for each infection. HIV/AIDS Treatments – in-depth coverage of the drug and immunologic therapies now used against HIV and its related infections, giving dosages, interactions, and side effects. Glossary of Medical Terms – definitions of AIDS medical terms and concepts, complete with simple, real-world examples showing how the term relates to People with HIV/AIDS and why the term is important for PWHIV/AIDS to understand. Appendix I – AIDS Image Gallery: Appendix II – Supporting Documentation: |