Changes in dentists' infection control practices, knowledge, and attitudes about HIV over a 2-year period.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate changes in the infection control practices, attitudes, and knowledge of dentists as they relate to HIV/AIDS:


METHODS
A comparison of responses to surveys conducted in 1992 (n = 258) and 1994 (n = 262) with the use of univariate/multivariate analyses and McNemar's test for paired data.


RESULTS
The response rate were > 70%. There were significant increases in reports of continuing education related to HIV/AIDS, heat sterilization of handpieces, use of masks, and knowledge of risk of HIV infection after a needlestick injury. Significantly fewer respondents reported concerns about staff fears about HIV/AIDS: Reports of willingness to treat patients with HIV increased from 68% to 77%. The best predictors of willingness to treat changed from primarily infection control variables to lack of concern with respect to risk or loss of patients when treating persons with HIV.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased use of infection control procedures and knowledge may be partly attributable to the introduction of mandatory continuing education in 1993.
McCarthy
G M
GM
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Koval
J J
JJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004498:Education, Dental, Continuing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D016015:Logistic Models; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D009864:Ontario; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires