Larry.Millhofer@f140.n150.z1.fidonet.org (Larry Millhofer) (02/11/90)
As a primary care physician I've been fortunate in that
all my HIV+ patients who are in relationships have themselves
informed their partners. How do I know? If the partner is
also a patient of mine I ask them directly (after the HIV+
individual tells me that the partner is informed.) This
affords the opportunity to encourage the partner to be tested
as well as a chance to answer questions about the disease and
its ramifications. If the HIV+ party hasn't informed his
partner but says that he will I say fine - just let me know
when you have done so, so that I can answer any questions
they might have. If the positive patient is obviously
reluctant or refuses to follow through I say that I will give
him time (maybe 2 or 3 weeks) to inform the partner and then
at the end of that interval I will contact the partner to
find out if they truly were informed. In long term
relationships the patient usually decides to break the news
himself. In the case of casual contacts I encourage the
patient to inform them himself or to use the Health Dept.'s
services for contact tracing (the patient's name is never
divulged to the contact). For added security I can just
convey the names of contacts given to me to the Health Dept.
without the Health Dept. knowing who the positive contact
was. Again I must emphasize that the HIV+ patient has to
volunteer the names of contacts. There is no legal
obligation to do so.
If everybody were practicing "safer" sex one hundred
percent of the time life would be easy. Unfortunately
statistics over the past year show that gay men are slacking
off on following safer sex guidelines and the heterosexual
community has virtually ignored them.
Put yourself in the following scenario: you meet
someone new who is very attractive at a party and decide to
go home together. Despite the best of intentions you get
carried away and have unsafe sex. Your partner honestly
states that (s)he tested negative recently but then a few
months later gets tested again and finds out (s)he is now
positive. For all (s)he knows you might have infected
him(her)! Would you want to be contacted (assuming it would
be done confidentially)?
If I get enough responses to call it a poll I'll publish
the results.
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Larry Millhofer CIS: 73067,3722
Internet: Larry.Millhofer@f140.n150.z1.fidonet.org
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