title: Legal obligations to human immunodeficiency virus--seropositive patients and health care providers.
abstract: Balancing the interest of patients against the interest of health care providers with regard to potential or actual human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has created many legal issues for health care providers. Some health care providers are reluctant to care for patients with HIV and have occasionally refused to treat HIV-seropositive patients. HIV-seropositive health care providers may be the target of widespread discrimination resulting in both personal and professional losses. Many health care facilities are concerned about the public's response to knowing that HIV-seropositive health care providers are on their staff. An even greater concern is the liability that may result if an HIV-seropositive health care provider transmitted the disease to a patient. Health care providers must keep current on the laws related to HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) as well as new developments in the treatment process that will impact on the law.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern Mississippi, School of Nursing, Long Beach 39560, USA.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000451:nursing* / Q000635:transmission; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011287:Prejudice; D016079:Refusal to Treat / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States