Giuliani M, Lajolo C, Rezza G, Arici C, Babudieri S, Grima P, Martinelli C, Tamburrini E, Vecchiet J, Mura MS, Cauda R, Mario T. Dental care and HIV-infected individuals: are they equally treated?
Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2006;
33:447-53. [PMID:
16262612 DOI:
10.1111/j.1600-0528.2005.00247.x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the problems in seeking dental care faced by HIV-positive individuals in Italy.
METHODS
A multicenter observational study was performed by distributing an anonymous self-administered questionnaire to patients of six public healthcare facilities specialized in the treatment of individuals with HIV infection. The questions concerned personal data potentially correlated with discrimination, the patient-dentist relationship before and after HIV diagnosis, and the reasons for seeking dental care in public facilities. We also evaluated the patients' discomfort in the patient-dentist relationship after HIV diagnosis, performing univariate and multivariate analyses.
RESULTS
Of the 1,500 questionnaires distributed; 883 were filled-out completely. A total of 630 persons received dental care after HIV diagnosis: 209 (33.2%) did not tell the dentist that they were seropositive. Of those who did, 56 were refused care. For patients treated by a private dentist, having been treated by the same dentist before diagnosis was a risk factor for great discomfort in the patient-dentist relationship (P < 0.002). Being treated in public facilities was associated with having received dental care after HIV diagnosis (P < 0.001) and a primary school education (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
There exist episodes of discrimination on the part of some dentists, and a relatively high proportion of HIV-positive persons do not disclose their seropositivity to the dentist. Dentists should be provided with training for promoting both ethically acceptable practices and suitable clinical management of HIV-positive persons.
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