How do patients with HIV perceive their general practitioners?

OBJECTIVE

To study the perceptions of patients with HIV of their general practitioners in terms of knowledge, abilities, confidence, and satisfaction.

DESIGN

Questionnaire survey of inpatients, outpatients, and members of a self help group.

SETTING

Two city hospitals, three outpatient clinics, and one AIDS self help group in Munich and Berlin, Germany.

SUBJECTS

All 402 patients available between 1 September 1988 and 31 May 1989.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

General practitioners' attitudes towards the patients' HIV status; patients' experience of treatment rejection; reception in the general practitioner's office; the doctor's perceived knowledge about HIV and AIDS.

RESULTS

394 of 402 patients consented to interview; 87% were registered with a general practitioner and 91% of those indicated that the doctor was aware of their HIV diagnosis. The overwhelming majority of patients (94%) had a friendly or at least neutral reception in the general practitioner's surgery and only six patients' general practitioner changed his or her behaviour for the worse because of the HIV diagnosis. Two thirds of patients said they would consult first with their primary care doctor for a physical problem, but only 13% would do so for psychological problems. Over a third of the patients did not routinely inform other doctors or medical staff about their HIV status, but there was no significant correlation between this concealment and ever having been rejected by a doctor (7%) or a dentist (12%).

CONCLUSION

Most patients expressed a high degree of satisfaction with their general practitioners in terms of confidential issues, attitudes, knowledge, and management.