IS UNDER-REPORTING OF AIDS A PROBLEM IN JAMAICA

A survey of physicians in Jamaica was conducted between March and Sept ember, 1993 in order to estimate the level of reporting of HIV and AID S. A questionnaire was delivered to nearly all of approximately 1,200 physicians practising in Jamaica. Completed questionnaires were receiv ed from 418, a response rate of 35%. Of the physicians responding, 46% were in private practice only, 22% in the public sector only and 32% in both. Two-thirds (66%) of the physicians in private practice had no t diagnosed a case of AIDS and 65% had not had a patient with a positi ve HIV test result. Half (54%) of the private physicians had reported all their AIDS cases, 8% had reported some and 38% (45 doctors) had re ported none. The main reasons for not reporting were: ''thought someon e else had reported'' (15 doctors), concern for confidentiality (11) a nd nor knowing where to report (8). Only 9% of private practitioners w ere currently seeing an AIDS patient and 12% were seeing an HIV-infect ed person. Of physicians with current AIDS patients 16% preferred not to report, 21% intended to report and 63% had reported. Nearly one-thi rd (29%) of private practitioners expressed reservations about treatin g persons with HIV/AIDS. Most (75%) public sector physicians had seen one or more AIDS patients. Sixty-four per cent of these physicians sai d that all of their AIDS cases were reported, 4% said some, 4% said no ne and 28% didn't know. Reporting of AIDS cases is better in the publi c sector than among private physicians. It is likely that some, if not many of the AIDS cases not reported by private physicians are reporte d when admitted to hospital It is not possible to estimate the precise level of under-reporting of AIDS in Jamaica om this survey However, m ore needs to be done to address the reservations of some private physi cians and convince them of the need for timely reporting of HIV/AIDS c ases.