The implications of HIV/AIDS for a range of workers in the Scottish context

Although there have been a great many surveys of staff members' attitudes to HIV/AIDS, there has been relatively little research which has focused on their actual responses to and experiences of AIDS-related work (Barbour, 1994a). In addition, much of the published work on AIDS workers assumes that the demands of this work are self-evident, contingent upon client contact, and unique to this area of work. The research findings presented here suggest that these assumptions may be unfounded and certainly do not provide a complete picture of what AIDS work involves for staff members. Although some of the stressors reported by workers related to concerns explored in existing literature they did not always experience these anticipated demands as being especially problematic. Workers also reported experiencing problems in responding to demands from more unexpected quarters, such as organizational aspects of the work, rather than those stemming from the nature of contact with clients. Moreover, many of the demands were not unique to HIV/AIDS, but are features of other types of work. In devising training programmes for AIDS workers educators need to be alert to the often overlooked potential of pre-existing training programmes in operation in other specialties. Many of the demands cited by workers as problematic related to the newness of such demands in the light of their own employment histories rather than to HIV/AIDS work itself, suggesting that individualized training packages might be more appropriate. In relation to the retention of staff, it is crucial that the many rewards which pertain to this area of work are acknowledged and capitalized upon.