Is under-reporting of AIDS a problem in Jamaica?

A survey of physicians in Jamaica was conducted between March and September, 1993 in order to estimate the level of reporting of HIV and AIDS. A questionnaire was delivered to nearly all of approximately 1,200 physicians practising in Jamaica. Completed questionnaires were received 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 not diagnosed a case of AIDS and 65% had not had a patient with a positive HIV test result. Half (54%) of the private physicians had reported all their AIDS cases, 8% had reported some and 38% (45 doctors) had reported none. The main reasons for not reporting were: "thought someone else had reported" (15 doctors), concern for confidentiality (11) and not knowing where to report (8). Only 9% of private practitioners were currently seeing an AIDS patient and 12% were seeing an HIV-infected person. Of physicians with current AIDS patients 16% preferred not to report, 21% intended to report and 63% had reported. Nearly one-third (29%) of private practitioners expressed reservations about treating persons with HIV/AIDS. Most (75%) public sector physicians had seen one or more AIDS patients. Sixty-four per cent of these physicians said that all of their AIDS cases were reported, 4% said some, 4% said none and 28% didn't know. Reporting of AIDS cases is better in the public sector than among private physicians.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)