Surgeons and HIV : South African attitudes

• Published in: South African medical journal Vol. 99; no. 2; pp. 110 - 113
• Main Authors: SZABO, C. P, DHAI, A, VELLER, M, KLEINSMIDT, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Rondebosch Health and Medical Publishing Group 01-02-2009; Health & Medical Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attitude of Health Personnel; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; General aspects; General Surgery; Health aspects; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV patients; HIV Seropositivity - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Infectious diseases; Male; Mass Screening - standards; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Practice; Social aspects; South Africa; Stigma (Social psychology); Surgeons; Truth Disclosure; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Young Adult; South Africa; Africa; Infection; Virus; Immunopathology; Attitude; Viral disease; Retroviridae; Tropical medicine; AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Surgeon
• ISSN: 0256-9574

The HIV status of surgeons, in the context of the informed consent obtained from their patients, is a contentious matter. We surveyed the views of practising surgeons in South Africa regarding aspects of HIV and its impact on surgeons.
A cross-sectional survey of surgeons who were members of the Association of Surgeons of South Africa, regarding their attitudes to the preceding issues.
The salient findings included the view that a patient-centered approach requiring HIV status disclosure to patients would be discriminatory to surgeons and provide no clear benefit to patients, and that HIV-positive surgeons should determine their own scope of practice.
Patient-centered approaches and restrictive policies, related to this issue, do not accord with clinician sentiment. In the absence of comparable local or international data, this study provides clinicians' views with implications for the development of locally relevant policies and guidelines.