Physicians' effectiveness in assessing risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection

Article Abstract:

The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that physicians question patients about their sexual practices and possible drug use, and provide information to them about preventing infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS. Physicians are in a unique position to do this, since 70 percent of adults in the US visit a doctor at least once a year. A total of 768 physicians at a midwestern teaching institution were surveyed about their experience in screening patients for possible high-risk behaviors for AIDS, substance abuse, and high-risk sexual practices. Only 11 percent of the physicians routinely asked their patients about possible high-risk behaviors; in general, they did so when they suspected such behavior or the patient had symptoms suggestive of HIV infection. Fifty-four percent were comfortable discussing sexual matters, but did not always feel that the information they received was reliable. Seventy-seven percent were comfortable screening for drug abuse, but were not confident of the accuracy of the patients' responses. Forty-four percent of the physicians stated they were comfortable caring for HIV-infected patients, and most of the doctors were knowledgeable about the factors that could put them at risk of becoming infected. Seventy-eight percent said that AIDS had changed the way they practiced medicine. This was especially true of surgeons; many said that they take more precautions when handling blood and other body fluids, or when operating on HIV-infected patients. Others claimed that AIDS has made the practice of medicine depressing, or affected their choice of specialty or location. Training programs in screening for drug abuse and high-risk sexual behavior may help doctors feel more comfortable about dealing with these issues. The physicians in the survey who had participated in such programs were more confident in asking these kinds of questions and in caring for HIV-infected patients. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Risk factors, Practice, Physicians, Medical professions, Surveys, HIV infection, HIV infections, Medical screening, Health screening

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Immunogenicity of an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine

Article Abstract:

The disease caused by the hepatitis A virus can be serious, and no vaccine is yet available to prevent this illness. A study was done to assess the value of a recently developed hepatitis A vaccine. A total of 42 healthy men were vaccinated with an experimental hepatitis A vaccine, and then later had blood drawn to assess the their response to the vaccine. At 8 months, 86 percent of the volunteers had detectable levels of neutralizing antibodies against hepatitis A virus, indicating that their immune systems were primed by the vaccine to prevent infection. The only significant side effect noted by any of the volunteers was muscle soreness at the site of the injection of the vaccine. Given the low incidence of side effects from the vaccine and the good response rate of the patients in producing neutralizing antibody, this vaccine should probably be approved for general use for those who are at risk of developing hepatitis. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Prevention, Vaccines, Hepatitis A

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