This paper reported on a study of the extent of contact between Irish general practitioners and patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and of the attitudes of Irish general practitioners to the practical and ethical problems associated with HIV. A questionnaire about HIV was sent to 499 general practitioners in the Republic of Ireland (over 25%), and of these, 258 (51.7%) sent back completed questionnaires. Ninety-six respondents had seen at least one HIV-positive case in their surgeries.

The authors found that in Dublin, 67% of respondents had seen HIV-positive patients, and that 77.6% of HIV-positive people identified in the survey were attending practitioners in the Eastern Health Board area. They also found that most respondents favoured the involvement of general practitioners in the care of patients with HIV.