General practitioners and management of infection with HIV

Abstract

thirds of those on their list each year7 (though probably a smaller proportion of those at highest risk) such advice given carefully to every patient might also greatly reduce the spread of HIV in the population. There remains a need for evaluating the most effective ways in which this can be done. Nevertheless, the matter is so urgent that this need must not be used as an excuse for inaction.We thank Dr P Anderson and Dr R Mayon-White from the department of community medicine, Oxfordshire Health Authority, for allowing us to base our questionnaire on theirs. We also thank Dr

Attitudes of medical students to HIV and AIDS.

“…[2][3][4][5] One study has demonstrated that more recently qualified doctors are likely to have better knowledge of HIV and less hostile attitudes. 6 Hitherto, however, no formal evaluation has been conducted on the extent to which medical training might influence attitudes and prepare students to manage patients with HIV/AIDS in their future careers.…”

Psychological and social problems in HIV infection: interviews with general practitioners in London.

“…Seventy six had considered further counselling unnecessary as the result was negative, while in the remainder the patient had not been tested or had not returned to the surgery. Only 21 [5][6][7] (range 1 to 54) and of those with AIDS 2 4 (I to 20).…”

Prevention in practice: Obstacles and opportunities

“…Despite a wealth of published epidemiological data, and some previous research that has described general practitioners' contact with people with HIV infection and AIDS in the four Thames health regions (Anderson & Mayon-White, 1988;Boyton & Scambler, 1988;Sibbald et al, 1988), there is still considerable uncertainty about the degree and nature of contact that practitioners have on a national level with people with HIV-related enquiries. In particular, there is markedly less known about the extent and regional distribution of contact with gay and bisexual men and people with worries about HIV infection or AIDS, than there is, for example, with people injecting or using drugs (Glanz & Taylor, 1986;Neville, McKellican & Foster, 1988;Robertson, 1985).…”

“…Furthermore, regional studies have shown that practitioners have little interest in providing health education about HIV infection (Boyton & Scambler, 1988;Milne & Keen, 1988), and have limited HIV-related knowledge (Sibbald et al, 1988;Anderson & Mayon-White, 1988). In response, the Royal College of General Pratitioners has reaffirmed the key role that practitioners have in preventing the further spread of HIV infection, and in utilising existing opportunities that exist to provide health education relating to sexual and drug using behaviour (RCGP, 1987;Working Party of the RCGP, 1988).…”