title: Dentistry and HIV/AIDS related stigma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze HIV/AIDS positive individual's perception and attitudes regarding dental services.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-four subjects (30.0% of women and 70.0% of men) from Nuevo León, Mexico, took part in the study (2014). They filled out structured, analytical, self-administered, anonymous questionnaires. Besides the sociodemographic variables, the perception regarding public and private dental services and related professionals was evaluated, as well as the perceived stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, through a Likert-type scale. The statistical evaluation included a factorial and a non-hierarchical cluster analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Social inequalities were found regarding the search for public and private dental professionals and services. Most subjects reported omitting their HIV serodiagnosis and agreed that dentists must be trained and qualified to treat patients with HIV/AIDS. The factorial analysis revealed two elements: experiences of stigma and discrimination in dental appointments and feelings of concern regarding the attitudes of professionals or their teams concerning patients' HIV serodiagnosis. The cluster analysis identified three groups: users who have not experienced stigma or discrimination (85.0%); the ones who have not had those experiences, but feel somewhat concerned (12.7%); and the ones who underwent stigma and discrimination and feel concerned (2.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed a low percentage of stigma and discrimination in dental appointments; however, most HIV/AIDS patients do not reveal their serodiagnosis to dentists out of fear of being rejected. Such fact implies a workplace hazard to dental professionals, but especially to the very own health of HIV/AIDS patients, as dentists will not be able to provide them a proper clinical and pharmaceutical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Escuela Nacional de Posgrado en Ciencias e Ingeniería, Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, México.
authors.forename: Jesus Eduardo
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Elizondo
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Biotecnología y Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, México.
authors.forename: Ana Cecilia
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Treviño
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Doctorado, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Violant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D012649:Self Concept; D057545:Social Stigma; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D055815:Young Adult