title: Concerns and recommendations of internal medicine residents in HIV patient care in the second decade of the AIDS epidemic in Taiwan.
abstract: Internal medicine residents are usually on the front line of caring for HIV-infected patients. In the second decade of the AIDS epidemic in Taiwan, a qualitative study was conducted to recognize the concerns of internal medicine residents in caring for HIV/AIDS patients and to identify possible strategies to promote HIV patient care that have not been addressed in previous research. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 47 internal medicine residents at a university hospital in Taiwan. Seven factors (stereotypes of AIDS; fear of transmission; concerns of families, friends, and colleagues; lack of clinical expertise; lack of collegial support; lack of a sense of accomplishment; and lack of worker's compensation if infected) were found to be the chief concerns of participants in providing HIV/AIDS care. Four strategies (education, clinical experience, safe working environment, and employee benefits) were voiced as those that could promote health care professionals' well-being and willingness to provide HIV/AIDS care. The results of this study are explained in light of the historical, social, and medical contexts in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. hsiung@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Ping-Chuan
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hsiung
authors.forename: Yun-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D005791:Patient Care; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan