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AIDS and student attitudes.

J M Merrill1, L Laux, J I Thornby

  • 1Department of Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex. 77030.

Southern Medical Journal
|April 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary
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Physicians

Area of Science:

  • Medical sociology
  • Public health
  • Medical ethics

Background:

  • A significant portion of physicians express reluctance to treat patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
  • Projected increases in AIDS cases necessitate understanding physician attitudes to ensure adequate medical care.
  • Physician aversion may stem from fears of contagion, homophobia, or reluctance to treat terminally ill patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the underlying fears influencing healthcare students' attitudes toward acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients.
  • To determine the primary drivers of aversion among medical professionals when treating AIDS patients.
  • To identify potential differences in attitudes between male and female healthcare students.

Main Methods:

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  • Three studies were conducted involving healthcare students to assess their attitudes toward patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
  • Attitudes were compared between patients with AIDS and those with other terminal illnesses (leukemia).
  • The influence of patient sexual preference and fear of contagion on student attitudes was evaluated.

    • Main Results:

    • Student attitudes toward patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were similar to those with leukemia, indicating the illness itself, not just terminality, is a factor.
    • Patient sexual preference was not the primary reason for student avoidance of AIDS patients.
    • Fear of contagion was identified as the principal cause for students' reluctance to care for AIDS patients.

    Conclusions:

    • Fear of contagion is the main driver of negative attitudes toward acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients among healthcare students.
    • Female students exhibited less homophobia and less antipathy toward AIDS patients compared to male students.
    • Interventions are necessary to help healthcare professionals acknowledge and overcome unconscious negative feelings toward AIDS patients to improve care.