Some care versus no care: an ethical analysis.

When examining solutions to mitigate dental disease and the crisis involving access to care, a question is frequently raised: "Is some care better than no care?" However, the question generally lingers unanswered. The purpose of this paper was to perform an ethical analysis of the question "is some care better than no care?" in order to ascertain whether solutions that provide "some care" are ethically justifiable.

Ética y bioseguridad en la atención estomatológica al paciente con virus de inmunodeficiencia humana / Ethics and Biosafety in Dental Care for Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Fundamento: la única forma de contraer el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana durante el tratamiento estomatológico es a través del contacto de la sangre de un paciente seropositivo con la piel o mucosa no intacta del profesional, lo cual demanda medidas de bioseguridad para reducir el riesgo de infección cruzada así como el cumplimiento de aspectos bioéticos a tener en cuenta en la asistencia a dichos pacientes. Objetivo: determinar el nivel de conocimientos de estomatólogos sobre bioseguridad y el principio bioético de justicia en el tratamiento a pacientes con virus de inmunodeficiencia humana. Métodos: estudio descriptivo de corte transversal que incluyó a 45 profesionales que laboraron en consultorios estomatológicos de tres parroquias en Caracas, Venezuela, durante enero a diciembre de 2010. Se analizó: conocimientos sobre bioseguridad (mecanismos de transmisión de la enfermedad, medidas de control, flujograma de esterilización, medidas ante un accidente de trabajo) y sobre el principio bioético justicia (momento y lugar de tratamiento, instrumental a utilizar, tiempo a dedicar al paciente). Resultados: se obtuvo como nivel de conocimiento sobre el principio bioético de justicia: bueno el 40 %, regular el 37,7 % y malo el 22,2 %. En relación con las medidas de bioseguridad: bueno el 26,6 %, regular el 24,4 % y malo el 48,8 %. Conclusiones: el nivel de conocimientos sobre el principio bioético de justicia y sobre las medidas de bioseguridad para tratar a pacientes que viven con virus de inmunodeficiencia humana es insatisfactorio en más de la mitad de los estomatólogos encuestados.

Background: the only way of contracting human immunodeficiency virus during dental treatment is through contact with the blood of an HIV-positive patient with non-intact skin or mucosa of the professional. This requires biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of crossed infection and ensure compliance of bioethical aspects to be considered when treating these patients. Objective: To determine knowledge levels of dentists on biosafety and bioethical principle of justice in the treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus. Methods: A cross sectional and descriptive study was conducted involving 45 professionals who worked in Stomatological clinics of three parishes in Caracas, Venezuela, from January to December 2010. The following were analyzed: knowledge on biosafety (mechanisms of disease transmission, control measures and flowchart sterilization measures before an accident) and the justice bioethical principle (time and place of treatment, instruments used and time to devote to patient). Results: The knowledge level according to the bioethical principle of justice was assessed: 40% for good, 37.7% for average and 22.2% for bad. For biosecurity measures it was obtained: 26.6% good, 24.4% average and 48.8% bad. Conclusions: knowledge level on the bioethical principle of justice and biosecurity measures to treat patients living with human immunodeficiency virus is unsatisfactory in more than half of the dentists surveyed.

Managing HIV/hepatitis positive patients: present approach of dental health care workers and students.

People with HIV/HBsAg in India frequently encounter discrimination while seeking and receiving health care services. The knowledge and attitudes of health care workers (HCWs) influences the willingness and ability of people with HIV/HBsAg to access care, and the quality of the care they receive. The objective of this study was to asses HIV/HBsAg-related knowledge, attitudes and risk perception among students and dental HCWs. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 250 students and 120 dental HCWs in the form of objective questionnaire. Information was gathered regarding demographic details (age, sex, duration of employment, job category); HIV/ HBsAg-related knowledge and attitudes; risk perception; and previous experience caring for HIV-positive patients. The HCWs in this study generally had a positive attitude to care for the people with HIV/HBsAg. However, this was tempered by substantial concerns about providing care, and the fear of occupational infection with HIV/HBsAg. A continuing dental education program was conducted to resolve all the queries found interfering to provide care to HIV/HBsAg patients. But even after the queries were resolved the care providing capability was not attained. These findings show that even with advanced knowledge and facilities the attitude of dental HCWs and students require more strategic training with regards to the ethics and moral stigma associated with the dreaded infectious diseases (HIV/HBsAg).

Oral lesions, HIV phenotypes, and management of HIV-related disease: Workshop 4A.

The workshop considered 5 questions related to oral lesions, HIV phenotypes, and the management of HIV-related disease, with a focus on evidence and challenges in resource-poor settings. First, are oral lesions unique with respect to geographic location or phenotype? Second, how useful would an oral lesion index be to predict HIV in resource-poor countries with no access to CD4 counts or viral load? Third, what are the latest methods and delivery modes for drugs used to treat oral lesions associated with HIV? Fourth, what is the role of the oral health care worker in rapid diagnostic testing for HIV? Fifth, what ethical and legal issues are to be considered when managing the HIV patient? The consensus of the workshop was the need for additional research in 4 key areas in developing countries: (1) additional investigation of comorbidities associated with HIV infection that may affect oral lesion presentation and distribution, especially in pediatric populations; (2) the development of region-specific algorithms involving HIV oral lesions, indicating cumulative risk of immune suppression and the presence of HIV disease; (3) well-designed clinical trials to test new therapies for oral lesions, new treatments for resistant oral fungal and viral diseases, effectiveness of therapies in children, and new drug delivery systems; and (4) the role of the oral health care worker in rapid diagnostic testing for HIV in various regions of the world.

Iranian dental students' knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients.

Dental treatment procedures frequently involve blood and saliva that may be contaminated with HIV. The purpose of this cross-sectional survey was to assess Iranian dental students' knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients. In 2008, a fifty-three-item self-administered questionnaire was conducted on all 750 dental students who participated in the 10(th) Dental Student Congress in Isfahan, Iran. The overall response rate to the questionnaire was 60.7 percent. The total mean knowledge and attitudes scores were 82.1 percent (excellent) and 57.4 percent (negative), respectively. There were no significant differences in the knowledge or attitude scores between male and female students. A majority of the students were aware of the association between HIV and oral candidiasis (98.1 percent), major aphthous (95.8 percent), and Kaposi's sarcoma (93.8 percent). Although a majority of the students had excellent knowledge (78.4 percent), only 1 percent had professional attitudes about treating patients with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, it is important that dental students, as future dentists, develop not only the necessary practical skills but also attitudes that will prepare them to treat HIV/AIDS patients.

A qualitative exploration of dental practitioners' knowledge, attitudes and practices towards HIV+ and patients with other 'high risk' groups.

This paper expands upon a previous quantitative study which measured dentists' knowledge, attitudes and practices towards patients carrying blood-borne viruses in order to identify potential barriers to the provision of adequate dental treatment. Although some useful findings were obtained in that study, it was suggested that further qualitative work needed to be conducted in order to provide the opportunity for dental practitioners' to expand, reflect and justify their opinions and beliefs in more detail. The aim of this study is to present the results of such a qualitative investigation.

An investigation of dentists' knowledge, attitudes and practices towards HIV+ and patients with other blood-borne viruses in South Cheshire, UK.

This paper derives from research conducted in the North West of England which was funded by the South Cheshire Health Authority. The research was funded because anecdotal evidence within a charity HIV/ AIDS organisation in the region suggested that some HIV positive individuals had been experiencing difficulties accessing NHS dental care. Following previous studies, this paper therefore examines dentists' knowledge, attitudes and practices in order to assess which factors may be influential in affecting dentists' willingness to treat patients with HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne viruses. The study population consisted of all 330 dentists working within the South Cheshire region whose addresses were obtained from the Local Health Authority. A response rate of 46% was obtained and the results were analysed using basic descriptive statistics and the chi-squared (chi(2)) test. The results of this study suggest that age and type of dental practice are significant factors associated with treatment practices, attitudes and sense of ethical responsibility amongst dentists in the South Cheshire region. Consistent with previous studies, this could be interpreted as due to the impact of educational programmes. Further qualitative research is recommended in order to address these issues in more depth.

HIV and AIDS--the ethical dilemma central to many issues in HIV/AIDS revolves around individual good versus societal good.

Using patient advocacy as a point of departure, there are three possible ethical options where the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is concerned: a 'strict advocacy' approach, a 'moderate advocacy' approach and a 'no advocacy' approach. In South Africa, a 'moderate advocacy' approach is favoured in general.