HIV Discrimination in Health Care Services in Los Angeles County: The Results of Three Testing Studies

Abstract

This report presents the results of three studies conducted from 2003 to 2005 measuring HIV discrimination in health care in Los Angeles County. Each of the studies used trained testers posing as either patients who were HIV-positive or organizations working with such patients. Testers called the offices of health care providers and asked if they would accept HIV-positive patients. The studies focused on skilled nursing facilities, cosmetic and plastic surgeons, and obstetricians, in order to determine the percentage of providers in each area who had a blanket policy of refusing services to people living with HIV. The testers also gathered some qualitative information about the reasons why health care providers denied services to HIV-positive patients. The three types of health care providers were chosen based on current medical needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS, including nursing care as the HIV population ages, cosmetic surgery to address the impact of facial wasting, and prenatal care for women living with HIV.