HIV infection and Norwegian general practitioners: does fear affect knowledge?

The objective was to study the dimensionality of knowledge among general practitioners in Norway about transmission of HIV and what factors influence the degree of knowledge. Data were collected by a mailed questionnaire. Independent variables were experience of HIV, acquisition of knowledge and confidence in information on HIV from the central authorities and perception of own knowledge, skills of practice and fear of oneself or one's family contracting the HIV infection. Analysis of variance and multiple classification analysis were applied to measure the effect of independent variables on knowledge about transmission of HIV. The general practitioners in three counties (Oslo, Møre og Romsdal and Troms), constituting one-quarter of the Norwegian general practitioner population were selected (n = 578). The response rate was 65%, and the results are assumed to be representative of Norwegian general practitioners. Four dimensions of knowledge about transmission of HIV were identified by factor analysis. The two most important, transmission through 'body fluids' and transmission by 'needle sticks', were subsequently converted into sum scores and used as dependent variables. Forty-five per cent of the respondents were uncertain about ways in which HIV is not transmitted through 'body fluids'. There was an association between knowledge about transmission through 'body fluids' and the variables county background, confidence in the information about HIV and fear of contracting HIV. In the multiple classification analysis these three variables explained 11% of the variation in knowledge about transmission through 'body fluids'. Only confidence and fear significantly predicted the degree of knowledge, and among the 11% who had no confidence in the information received the effect of fear on knowledge increased significantly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)