[Study on the prevention of HIV transmission between patients in the psychiatric hospital milieu].

A survey of staff opinion using anonymous questionnaires was conducted simultaneously in five French psychiatric hospitals in January and February 1995. The 36 questions concerned collective HIV prevention practices for hospitalised patients, actual participation in various actions, and personal choice and judgement concerning prevention strategies, especially with regard to sexual transmission. The paper gives an initial data analysis of the 1473 questionnaires collected. In general, psychiatric hospital staff feel concern for AIDS issues and seem to be already involved in specific prevention strategies.