Document 1940
 DOCN  M94A1940
 TI    Discrimination against patients with HIV infection by health care
       workers.
 DT    9412
 AU    D'Andrea C; Vaccher E; Spina M; Errante D; Bernardi D; Simonelli C;
       Nasti G; Tirelli U; Division of Medical Oncology and AIDS, Centro di
       Riferimento; Oncologico, Aviano (PN), Italy.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):417 (abstract no. PD0277). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370635
 AB    OBJECTIVES: to evaluate whether a discrimination exists against patients
       with HIV infection by health care workers. METHODS: at the CRO, Aviano,
       212 patients from every part of Italy, have been interviewed. Of these,
       162 (76%) were males, the median age was 30 years. One-hundred-fourty
       (66%) intravenous drug users, 32 (16%) heterosexuals, 23 (11%)
       homosexuals, 2 bisexuals, 2 transfused, 13 without risk behaviour.
       RESULTS: Seventy-six patients (36%) reported at least 1 case of
       discrimination underwent within the health system, 13 patients reported
       more than two cases. The most involved health categories are the
       dentists with 44 cases (50%), the internists with 13 cases (15%), the
       surgeons with 9 cases (10%), others (ginecologists, orthopedic surgeons,
       etc.) with 19 cases (21%), general practitioners with 4 cases (4%). The
       79% of the reported cases concern the refusal of the assistance (for
       example refusal to practise a tooth extraction or dental care, but also
       refusal to hospitalize or to make diagnostic examinations). The last
       data obtained from the questionnaire is referred to the reporting of the
       seropositivity status of the patients to the health care workers. One
       hundred-seventy-six (83%) have spontaneously reported to the health care
       workers their seropositivity status, the other 36 (17%) have not
       reported. Analysing this last kind of choice, from 24 questionnaires we
       found that 14 subjects did not report their seropositivity status
       because they had previously suffered discrimination, 10 had never
       reported their seropositivity status and they had never suffered
       discrimination. Twenty-two persons have been victims of episodes of
       discrimination, but they keep on reporting their status. DISCUSSION: the
       results obtained in the study allow us to state that in Italy there is a
       discriminatory behaviour by several health care workers against persons
       with HIV infection. Such behaviour, besides being directly contrary to
       the professional ethics of the health care workers, does not prevent
       contacts with HIV+ patients.
 DE    Adult  *Ethics, Professional  Female  *Health Personnel  Human  *HIV
       Infections/THERAPY  *HIV Seropositivity  Interviews  Italy  Male
       *Prejudice  Questionnaires  MEETING ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
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