Intellectual Disability and HIV Infection: A Service-related Study of Policies and Staff Attitudes

This paper reports on a study of staff knowledge and attitudes in relation to policies on HIV infection in organisations providing services to people with intellectual disabilities. Staff in three different service providers (NHS, Social Service and private and voluntary organisations) were sent the Staff Attitudes Towards Persons with Learning Disabilities and HIV Infection Scale (LDHIVS; Murray & Minnes, 1994a). The response rate was 54%, (N = 178): 46% of respondents did not know or were unsure of policies concerning clients with HIV infection; 69% of respondents reported that these policies either did not influence their behaviour or that they were unsure if they did. Results also indicated that staff working in a direct-care capacity for the NHS held less positive attitudes towards clients with HIV infection than NHS staff working in a management capacity. The results are discussed with reference to HIV prevention, health promotion and appropriate service support for people with intellectual disabilities.