Brimlow DL, Ross M, Rankin K; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1996 Jul 7-12; 11: 167 (abstract no. We.D.3636).
University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA. Fax: (713) 794-4075. E-mail: DBrimlow@utsph.sph. uth.edu.
Issues: While an extensive literature exists regarding dental care providers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about HIV/AIDS and patient care, little attention has been paid to how HIV-positive patients perceive the provider. This may affect adherence to treatment. Project: We conducted a focus group with 8 surrogate teaching patients who participate in a HIV/AIDS training program for dentists and auxiliaries at a private dental school. Of the 8 patients, 7 are HIV-positive. They had taken part in 8 training programs over 6 months' time and been examined by about 40 groups of trainees (N= 160). We posed questions about how the teaching patients could tell if the dental care providers were afraid or were comfortable, what negative experiences with trainees were recalled or stood out, and what positive experiences were recalled or stood out. Qualitative data analysis techniques, specifically theme analysis, were used to interpret the results of the focus group. Results: The main signifiers of provider discomfort were related to physical distance, avoidance of physical contact, verbal interaction, and what we call "dentist interaction". We are currently incorporating the results of this focus group into a training video designed to help dental care providers improve their communication with patients around HIV related issues. Lessons Learned: In training dental care providers to work with people with HIV/AIDS, we need to provide practical information on ways to improve the provider-patient relationship. This includes the reduction of patients' psychological distress as well as physical discomfort. The feedback from experienced teaching patients with HIV disease who have experienced a large number of dental examinations is a valuable tool for providing this feedback as well as insight into the factors which affect the patient-provider relationship.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Communication
- Dental Clinics
- Dentists
- Fear
- Focus Groups
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Services Accessibility
- Humans
- Interpersonal Relations
- Perception
- Students, Dental
- Teaching
- education
Other ID:
UI: 102219862
From Meeting Abstracts