Attitudes toward the care of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A survey of community internists.

Community physicians may play an increasing role in treating patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) because of the shift away from inpatient care. At a community hospital in New York, NY, we surveyed 230 attending physicians in a department of medicine to determine their attitudes toward the care of patients with AIDS. Factor analysis produced three clusters of attitudes termed antipathy, liability, and isolation. These factors, together with physicians' "knowledge" and background, were analyzed as predictors of treating patients with AIDS. While antipathy, isolation, and fear of acquiring AIDS were not predictors, liability scores were inversely correlated with the likelihood of treating the disease (r = -.18). Liability was influenced by patients' attitudes toward AIDS. Primary care physicians had higher liability and isolation scores than subspecialists and were more likely to see support groups, guaranteed funding, and education as incentives to treat patients with AIDS. Further study is needed to target measures that support primary care physicians in their care of patients with this disease.