A comparison of public health care utilization by gay men and intravenous drug users with AIDS in San Francisco.

A group of gay-identified men (n = 81) and intravenous drug users (n = 88) diagnosed with AIDS in San Francisco were surveyed regarding their use and satisfaction with their health care services. The interview contained a mix of qualitative and quantitative questions. The two groups of AIDS patients were not statistically different in terms of age or self-reported level of health during the previous 3 months, although the gay men had been diagnosed with AIDS somewhat longer (20 months) than the group of intravenous drug users (15 months). Analysis of the quantitative data revealed that intravenous drug users receive more medical care for HIV disease than did gay men and were equally satisfied with the care that they did receive. Analysis of the qualitative data showed that considerable agreement exists between the perceptions of both gay men and intravenous drug users of the health care system.