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In order to maintain quality HIV treatment delivery in specific contexts, modifications to how HIV treatment is delivered are required. In addition to the consideration of contextual stability, the prevalence of HIV in a given setting will also impact on the specific challenges faced by clients and the appropriateness or extent of specific interventions.
The delivery of HIV treatment should be differentiated based not only on clinical characteristics, but also by considering the needs and preferences of specific populations.
Although this compendium website currently focuses on clients who are established on ART (previously termed "stable clients"), the same concepts and principles from the building blocks can be applied to provide appropriate models of DSD for HIV treatment for specific populations. Differentiating HIV treatment for specific populations can help improve access to HIV care by addressing the structural barriers and adherence issues that specific populations often face.
Each specific population will require a unique and comprehensive package of health care services to best respond to their needs and preferences.
Based on clinical characteristics, clients can be defined as: established on ART (previously termed "stable"); not yet established on ART (previously termed "unstable"); and clients with co-morbidities or co-infections. A client can be determined as established on ART according to WHO’s definition or another definition. Clients not yet established on ART may have a high viral load or another characteristic, such as a mental health condition or being recently initiated on ART, that classifies them as not yet established on ART.