Fear of AIDS and homophobia: implications for direct practice and advocacy

Studies of health care trainees and professionals have demonstrated that their level of empathy and caring is negatively affected by the knowledge that the person being treated is homosexual, in part because of stigma associated with HIV infection and AIDS. The survey discussed in this article examined the relationship between homophobia and the fear of AIDS within the context of several categorical questions. Gender differences in attitudes were also examined. Respondents who more liberally endorsed rights for gay men and lesbians were less homophobic and had less fear of AIDS. Suggestions are made for sensitizing social workers to the inhibitory effects of homophobia and fear of AIDS when working with HIV-infected clients or people in the gay community.