Telling patients about the diagnosis of HIV infection

This study used a questionnaire to examine how patients in the HIV/AIDS Clinic at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital were told of their diagnosis, by whom, and to what degree they were given emotional and educational support, Nearly 17% of patients were informed by someone not in the health professions (often military personnel), and 27% of patients were notified in a nonprivate setting, Forty-seven per cent indicated they received little or no educational support at the time of diagnosis, while 39% received little or no emotional support, Educational and emotional support for patients at the time of HDV diagnosis may be lacking.