title: [Attempt to compare the attitudes of medical staff in infectious diseases institutions and in non-infectious diseases institutions towards people infected with HIV virus and those suffering from AIDS].
abstract: Contemporary programs of counteracting to HIV/AIDS must include a component of shaping positive attitudes towards people infected with the HIV virus. A pro-social, empathic attitude of medical circles can be a guarantee of safe, mutual interactions. Recognition and correction of the attitude of medical staff who enter into different interactions with a seropositive patient is very important if we are to improve the quality of medical care in Poland, a country standing for EU. The paper attempts to evaluate and compare the attitudes of medical staff in infectious diseases institutions and in non-infectious diseases institutions towards people infected with HIV or suffering from AIDS. The basic research tool was the author's survey directed to medical staff and the supplementary techniques were: observation and interviews with people ill with AIDS. The research was carried out in five towns of Southern Poland, mostly in the Silesian region, as well as in four centres specializing in AIDS diagnostics and treatment. From the obtained research material (123 surveys, 70 interviews, and the results of a year-long participating observation) follows that: About 25% of staff employed at infectious diseases departments and 51% of staff employed at non-infectious diseases departments do not approve of seropositive patients. As many as 75% of staff in specialistic units and 96% of staff employed at non-infectious diseases departments think that the patient should be obliged to inform about the infection. Only 13.2% of medical staff from infectious diseases departments and 4.3% from non-infectious diseases departments have been delegated to specialist courses in this scope, and internal hospital training has been organized for about 30% of medical personnel. Medical staff do not treat every sick person as potentially infected; 58% of people working with the patient do not think about the possibility of getting infected or infecting others. 30% of people working with patients who suffer from AIDS are forced to do it by the current situation in the labor market and they receive additional financial gratitude.
authors.affiliation: Kolegium Ksztalcenia Umiejetności Pielegniarskich Slaskiej Akademii Medycznej w Katowicach.
authors.forename: Wiesława
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kołodziej
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000145:classification*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000592:standards; D011044:Poland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires