The purpose of this experimental study was to identify key factors influencing the intention of nurses (n = 102) to provide care at home to AIDS or leukaemia patients, homosexual or heterosexual. Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour with the addition of personal normative belief borrowed from Triandis's theory defined the theoretical framework. Homophobia and social desirability were also assessed as control variables. All nurses completed a self-administered and anonymous questionnaire after reading one of the four randomly-assigned vignettes that described the context of care. Sexual orientation of the patient influenced the personal normative belief (p