AEGiS-06IAC: HIV infected patients' view of their role in health care.

6th International AIDS Conference


San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

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HIV infected patients' view of their role in health care.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:349 (abstract no. Th.D.894)
Gerbert B, Sumser J, Sebesta D, Barnes D; UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, San Francisco, California, USA

OBJECTIVE: At least since the proclamation of the Denver principles (1983) of the rights of people with AIDS to participate in decision making regarding their health care, people with HIV disease have challenged traditional roles of physicians and patients. We wished to document how gay men and IVDUs with HIV disease in 1989 view their relationship with physicians.

METHODS: We conducted 8 focus group interviews in Los Angeles and Seattle. These two-hour sessions had 8 - 10 volunteers in each group (n = 67). The qualitative data gathered in these interviews were content analyzed.

RESULTS: Three major themes emerged. First, respondents believed that many men with HIV disease knew as much as, and possibly, more about diagnosis and treatment of HIV disease than did most physicians. Second, people with HIV disease were looking for alternative therapies and alternatives to the medical model. Taking charge of one's own search for "better care" was considered empowering and therapeutic in itself. Third, respondents were looking for a caring, personal relationship with their physicians. For example, almost all respondents wanted to be on a first-name basis with their physician.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that people with HIV disease want to play an active role in the physician-patient relationship. Physicians and other healthcare workers need to be aware of the desires of HIV-infected patients and work with them to realize satisfactory patient care outcomes.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Physician-Patient Relations, Physicians, Substance Abuse, Intravenous, Interviews, Health Personnel, Complementary Therapies, Health Services Needs and Demand, Data Collection, Decision Making, Attitude of Health Personnel, Los Angeles, Human, Male, ICA6

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ThD894

Copyright © 1990 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.