The Ethical Sensitivity of Health Care Professionals Who Care For Patients Living With HIV Infection in Hunan, China: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The level of ethical sensitivity of health care professionals who care for patients with HIV may shed light on ethical behaviors in HIV care. However, little research has determined how such professionals view ethical issues in clinical practice in China. The purpose of our qualitative descriptive study was to explore the ethical sensitivity of health care professionals in Hunan Province, China, and to discuss the existing deficiencies. We used purposive sampling to recruit 17 health care professionals who provided direct care to patients with HIV and conducted interviews with them. Interview transcripts were analyzed by thematic analysis. Informants showed certain sensitivities to ethical issues, but the majority also held stigmatizing attitudes toward patients with HIV, and exhibited ethics driven by HIV-related laws and regulations rather than ethical principles. There is room to improve the ethical sensitivity of health care professionals who care for patients with HIV in China.

Keywords: HIV; ethical sensitivity; health care professional; qualitative descriptive study.