Document 0374
 DOCN  M9490374
 TI    Dental-care experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS in Aotearoa New
       Zealand.
 DT    9411
 AU    Terry SD; Jones JE; Brown RH; Department of Oral Medicine and Oral
       Surgery, School of; Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin.
 SO    N Z Dent J. 1994 Jun;90(400):49-55. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94336102
 AB    Previous surveys of people living with HIV/AIDS suggest that such
       persons may have difficulty in securing dental care and that some
       dentists would prefer to refer such individuals. This study aimed to
       assess the experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS in Aotearoa New
       Zealand in obtaining and undergoing dental treatment. Survey forms were
       distributed through organisations working with people with HIV/AIDS.
       Fifty-seven questionnaires were analysed. The majority of respondents
       were gay white males. Seventy-five percent of participants felt that
       dental care was important, or very important, and 37 percent had
       increased the frequency of visits to the dentist since being diagnosed
       as HIV-positive. Forty-two (74 percent) participants had disclosed their
       HIV status to their dentists. Of this group, the majority had
       experienced either supportive or sympathetic reactions. Of those who
       concealed their status, 31 percent feared rejection by the dental
       practitioner, and 31 percent felt the dentist was taking adequate
       precautions and that there was no need to volunteer information on HIV
       status. Only three people reported denial of treatment on the grounds of
       their HIV status. An additional two people were immediately referred on
       by their practitioner after disclosure. Almost half the participants had
       changed dentists after they were diagnosed as HIV-positive. The main
       reasons stated included cost of treatment, fear of breach of
       confidentiality, or shifting to a new centre. Even though 33 percent
       received dental care in a hospital environment, 63 percent suffered
       systemic manifestations of HIV-infection, and 51 percent had oral
       manifestations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 DE    Adult  Attitude of Health Personnel  Confidentiality  Dental Care for
       Chronically Ill/ECONOMICS/PSYCHOLOGY/*STATISTICS  & NUMER DATA
       *Dentist-Patient Relations  Female  Health Services Accessibility  Human
       *HIV Infections/ECONOMICS/PSYCHOLOGY  Male  Middle Age  New Zealand
       Questionnaires  Refusal to Treat  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  Truth
       Disclosure  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).