Coordination of care for people living with HIV/AIDS in a city in São Paulo State, Brazil.

The aim of this study was to analyze the coordination of health activities and services for persons living with AIDS. This was a cross-sectional study of 301 persons living with AIDS. The analysis used descriptive techniques, analysis of variance, and multiple comparisons of means. Coordination of care was found to be satisfactory (mean = 3.69 and SD = 1.74). Persons living with AIDS used other health services in addition to the Services for Specialized HIV/AIDS Care (67.0% emergency departments, 43.2% primary care, 23.6% other specialized services, 15% private services). The five specialized HIV/AIDS clinics showed different performance levels as well as distinct contexts and healthcare configurations, but adequate clinical management (comparatively better than management of social issues). Provision of the referral guide was considered satisfactory, but the counter-referral guide was found to be unsatisfactory. Strategies are needed to promote the development of shared and cooperative actions within the healthcare teams in the specialized HIV/AIDS clinics and between the different services in order to strengthen the provision of care with case-resolution capacity.