Refusal of medical assistence – Case report of fatality in an HIV- infected drug user and some reflections
Keywords:
Refusal of medical assistance, drug abuse, HIV infection, ethical and social perspectiveAbstract
The Authors rep he Authors report the case of a female HIV-infected drug user
who presented to the Emergency Room with irreversible septic
shock. This young woman had been an irregular outpatient and
attended a local center for drug rehabilitation on a daily basis, as
part of a methadone maintenance program. In spite of all medical
recommendations given, and her complete understanding of the
illness, she failed to attend scheduled appointments and complementary diagnostic tests, compromising any further treatment,
until the fi nal event. The AA.s refl ect on the refusal of medical
assistance and the problem of drug abuse, from an ethical and social perspective.
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