Abstract:
Despite widespread knowledge concerning HIV and its transmission, clinical characteristics, and the treatment, the ethical implications and social dilemma of AIDS are still scarcely discussed. This study aims to evaluate what medical students, patients, and physicians know about medical ethics and AIDS. Questionnaires were applied to evaluate knowledge on medical ethics and medical care for HIV- infected patients. Some 50 medical students (S), 53 HIV-infected patients (IP), 30 professors (PR) and 30 staff physicians (DR) answered the questionnaire. Patients reported discrimination by physicians (20,7%) and family and friends (32,1%). A full 100% of IP and DR were aware of the need to test pregnant women for HIV, but 1/50 S and 3/30 PR were unaware of this fact. Some 34% of IP and 10% to 16,7% of the S, PR and DR groups were unaware of the need for informed consent to perform the HIV test. The possibility of breaking professional secrecy in the case of sexual partners of HIV infected individuals was unknown to 69,8% of the IP group and 16% to 40% of the S,PR, and DR groups. The right of adolescents to secrecy was unknown to 66% and 76,7% of the students and professionals, respectively. Some norms concerning care for HIV infected patients although covered by the Code of Medical Ethics, are still not fully known or applied.
Key-words:
AIDS; HIV; Ethics, Medical; Education, medical