Public attitudes and opinions toward physicians and dentists infected with bloodborne viruses: results of a national survey.
BACKGROUND
There has been no recent assessment of public attitudes and opinions concerning risk of bloodborne virus transmission during health care.


METHODS
Seven items in the 2000 annual Healthstyles survey were used to assess current attitudes and opinions about health care providers infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the risk of bloodborne virus transmission during health care in a sample of approximately 3000 US households.


RESULTS
Of the 2353 respondents, 89% agreed that they want to know whether their doctor or dentist is infected with HIV; 82% agreed that disclosure of HBV or HCV infection in a provider should be mandatory. However, 47% did not believe that HIV-infected doctors were more likely to infect patients than doctors infected with HBV or HCV. Opinions were divided on whether HIV-infected providers should be able to care for patients as long as they use good infection control: only 38% thought that infected providers should be allowed to provide patient care.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that improved public education and risk communication on health care-associated bloodborne infections is needed.
Tuboku-Metzger
Jennifer
J
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. JUTB@CDC.GOV
Chiarello
Linda
L
Sinkowitz-Cochran
Ronda L
RL
Casano-Dickerson
Annelise
A
Cardo
Denise
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003815:Dentists; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D011639:Public Opinion; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014481:United States