[Primary care doctors attitudes and practices in the diagnosis of HIV infection]

Abstract

Objective: To explore the attitudes and practices of Primary Health Care professionals in the diagnosis of HIV infection according to current protocols and the degree of acceptance of simplified HIV testing (without a separate written consent and without asking about risk practices).

Material and methods: An observational cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in Primary Care Centres of the Madrid Public Health Service. Data were collected by telephone surveys during 2009.

Results: A total of 210 doctors were interviewed. Twenty one percent were already performing simplified HIV testing (and 28.6% expressed a favourable attitude towards the new recommendations). The majority (71.4% did not use a separate written consent for HIV testing, and 42% did not report any communication difficulties. Most of them considered that comparing HIV with other similar ways of transmission infections, making HIV testing exceptual may lead to stigma. Lack of time was not a problem for 75.2%, and 97.1% considered they had an essential role in controlling the HIV epidemic.

Conclusions: The acceptance of simplified HIV testing is high and is already being performed by 1 out of 5 Primary Care Doctors in the Madrid Public Health Service.