AIDS/HIV Infection and Employment: the Role of Occupational Health Services

Occupational health services need to be active in the developmentof local policies about AIDS/HIV and employment. Employmentissues include the possible hazards from HIV infected employees,which are more fears than real risks, and the problems facedby HIV infected employees. Pre-employment HIV screening doesnot eliminate HIV from the workforce and involves much extrawork. The occupational health service can be a source of confidentialcounselling for HIV infected individuals and will need to adviseon work fitness. HIV as a bar to certain jobs is difficult tojustify. The problems relating to HIV infection at work arebest dealt with by education of staff at all levels. Requests for reprints should be addressed to: Dr Anne Cockcroft, Consultant in Occupational Medicine, Occupational Health Unit, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, UK