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Perceptions of general practice among homosexual men
R Fitzpatrick1, J Dawson, M Boulton
1Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Oxford, London.
Insights
Many homosexual men do not disclose their sexual orientation or HIV status to their general practitioner, impacting care. Improving primary care
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- General Practice
- Sexual Health
Background:
- Primary care is crucial for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and management.
- Homosexual men may face unique challenges accessing and utilizing primary care services.
- Understanding these challenges is key to improving HIV/AIDS care within general practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate difficulties experienced by homosexually active men in general practice.
- To determine if these men consulted their general practitioner for HIV/AIDS-related issues.
- To assess the extent of disclosure of sexual orientation and HIV status to general practitioners.
Main Methods:
- Recruitment of homosexual men through genitourinary clinics and homosexual organizations.
- Interviews conducted between 1991-1992 to gather data on primary care experiences.
- Analysis of disclosure rates regarding sexual orientation and HIV status.
Main Results:
- 44% of men with a general practitioner had not disclosed their sexual orientation.
- 44% of HIV-positive men had not informed their general practitioner of their status.
- Perceived unsympathetic practice environments correlated with lower disclosure rates.
Conclusions:
- Significant improvements are needed to enhance the acceptability of general practice for homosexual men.
- Disclosure of sexual orientation and HIV status is a key area for intervention.
- Primary care remains a valued source for HIV/AIDS advice, despite existing barriers.
Background:
Primary care has an important role to play in the prevention and management of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It has been suggested that homosexual men experience a variety of problems in relation to primary care.
Aim:
As part of a larger study, it was decided to examine the extent to which a sample of homosexually active men experienced difficulties in general practice and whether they consulted their general practitioner for problems related to HIV or the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Method:
Homosexual men were recruited for interview in 1991-92 from a variety of sources including genitourinary clinics and homosexual organizations.
Results:
Of 623 men registered with a general practitioner 44% had not informed their general practitioner of their sexual orientation and 44% of the 77 men who were HIV antibody positive, as confirmed by the study, had not informed their general practitioner of this fact. Men who viewed their practice as unsympathetic towards homosexual men were less likely to have informed their general practitioner of their sexual orientation or HIV status. The majority of men (87%) nevertheless viewed primary care as an appropriate source of HIV/AIDS advice.
Conclusion:
There is considerable scope for improvement in the acceptability of general practice to homosexual men.