BARNETTJ%SNYSYRV1.BITNET@oac.ucla.edu (11/10/90)
The term body positive as an alternative to the term HIV+ may not be such a bad idea. As a medical student, I have learned that there exists a whole host of terms which are used as alternatives to the common names of diseases. ie. Leutic=syphillis Acid Fast = Tuberculosis The reasoning for this is partly that physicians and their colleagues can discuss in front of the patient during rounds differential diagnosis without contributing undue psycological trauma and strain on the strickened person. Hence, once the condition a probable diagnosis is made from the differential, the caring physician can go and sit down with the HIV+ individual (or the patient with TB or Syphillis, or what have you) and not only present and explain in a humane manner what is happening to the individuals body, but also inflict the least psychological trauma - that is at least in theory. Hence, Body Positive might be actually an excellent term to be used in a clinical setting _Jordan Barnett MSII, Health Science Center at Syracuse