Arthur E. Blank, PhD¹, Le'Roy E. Reese, PhD², Amorette Ferrante, EdM³, Ann V. Nugent, BA³, and Victoria Sharp, MD⁴. (1) Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 3544 Jerome Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467, (718)920-6210, Ablank@montefiore.org, (2) Team Lead, Evaluation and Effectiveness Research Team, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Prevention Development and Evaluation Branch, MS K-60, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, (3) Chemical Dependency Institue, Beth Israel Medical Center, 215 Park Avenue, 15th floor, New York, NY 10003, (4) Center for Comprehensive Care, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, 1000 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Objective: Primary care providers (PCPs) who work with HIV/AIDS patients are accustomed to working with stigmatized patients who may engage in risky health practices, such as high-risk sex. Since HIV-PCPs routinely engage patients in conversations about high-risk behaviors, which are potentially embarrassing and sensitive to patients, we wanted to know whether their attitudes, practice behaviors, and feelings about dealing with IPV/SV differed from PCP practitioners who deal with a less specialized patient population Methods. Two weeks prior to the introduction of an IPV/SV intervention program in an HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Care Center, a self-administered, previously published survey, was utilized to assess PCPs' IPV/SV knowledge, attitudes toward IPV/SV, and IPV/SV practice behaviors, was administered to clinic staff, including HIV PCPs. Results: A comparison of the attitudinal and behavioral domains (e.g., self-reported practice behaviors, frequency and confidence in asking about IPV/SV) between general PCPs and HIV-PCPs showed significant differences in attitudes toward IPV/SV and practice behaviors. HIV-PCPs were more confident in asking about their patients' experiences with emotional and physical abuse than less specialized PCPs. HIV-PCPs were also more likely than other PCPs to ask about IPV/SV when their patients exhibited physical injuries or mental disorders. Conclusions: The data show that differences exist between generalists and HIV specialists in dealing with sensitive issues such as IPV/SV. It is suggestive that experience working with stigmatized groups may sensitize clinicians toward victims of IPV/SV. Implications for the development of an IPV/SV training program will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate the differences between clinicians from a general practice and an HIV/AIDS clinic in their attitudes and practice behaviors toward patients experiencing intimate partner and sexual violence.
• Recognize the problems inherent in developing an educational training program about intimate partner and sexual violence and identification of victimized patients for specialized clinical staff.

Keywords: Domestic Violence, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.