HIV-infected patients and dental care: nondisclosure of HIV status and rejection for treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate reports of nondisclosure of HIV-seropositivity to dentists by HIV-infected patients and their rejection for dental treatment.


METHODS
An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was completed by 101 consecutive consenting HIV-infected patients.


RESULTS
Eighty percent of respondents (mean age, 36 years) had visited a dentist since their HIV diagnosis; 15% of these reported that they had been refused treatment because the dentist did not want to treat HIV-infected patients. Rejection was reported by 25% of respondents with heterosexual and 14% with homosexual risk factors, 11% of recipients of blood or blood products, and 8% with unknown or multiple risk factors. Refusal was not associated with economic factors. Nondisclosure of HIV-seropositivity to their current dentist was reported by 13% of respondents. No respondents attending hospitals or health units reported nondisclosure, compared with 18% of respondents attending private dental offices (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
More research is required with a larger sample to improve generalizability and to permit subgroup analysis.
McCarthy
G M
GM
Division of Oral Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Haji
F S
FS
Mackie
I D
ID
D000328:Adult; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003219:Confidentiality; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D009864:Ontario; D016079:Refusal to Treat / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure