Attitudes of US primary care physicians about HIV disease and AIDS

Telephone interviews were conducted with 500 primary care physicians, drawn from a stratified random sample of internists, family practitioners, pediatricians, general practitioners, and OB/GYN physicians. Respondents were asked to report their experience treating AIDS patients and to estimate the percentage of their patients they felt were at high risk for HIV infection. Nineteen questions designed to assess practices and attitudes towards AIDS and HIV-related issues were asked. Results suggest that physicians underestimate their patients' level of risk for HIV infection and are not taking adequate drug use and sexual histories. The level of concern for personal risk of infection was high, although a strong ethical obligation to treat HIV patients was expressed. Physicians also expressed support for mandatory reporting and contact tracing, although this diminished as contact with HIV patients increased.