Physicians and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. What patients think about human immunodeficiency virus in medical practice
B. Gerbert, B. T. Maguire, S. B. Hulley and T. J. Coates
Division of Behavioral Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0754.
Are patients concerned about going to a physician who is infected with
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or one who is treating HIV-infected
patients? To answer these questions, we surveyed a nationwide sample of
2000 interviews (response rate, 75%). Forty-five percent of all respondents
believed that physicians who were HIV infected should not be allowed to
continue to practice. More than half of those who had seen a physician in
the past 5 years said they would change physicians if they knew their
physician were HIV infected, while one fourth said they would seek care
elsewhere if their physician were treating people with HIV disease. These
data suggest that patients are concerned about HIV in their physicians'
offices. The American Medical Association recommends that HIV-infected
physicians continue to practice as long as there is no risk to their
patients. Physicians and the public need to be educated about this policy
and its appropriateness.
