Does Counseling Matter in the Context of HIV Testing?
Talk about perspective. Right now, you can get a thoughtful view HIV counseling from someone who’s been in both the HIV counselor’s chair and in the client’s, being told of an HIV positive diagnosis. Stewart Landers, JD, MCP, a long-time expert on issues of HIV/AIDS, LGBTI health and substance treatment, selflessly peels away the surface and takes time to share his experienced lens. Read the full piece on LifeLube.org’s Blog.
—Diego
I think it’s not a coincidence that the move to reduce or eliminate counseling as part of HIV testing comes at the same time many are pushing for “routine” or other forms of expanded HIV testing.
The main barrier to widespread HIV testing has been providers’ discomfort or lack of willingness to “go there.” That is many do not want to talk to their patients about a stigmatized disease that may suggest behaviors they (the provider) are uncomfortable discussing or providing counseling or other information about.
Getting a positive test result for HIV is still a shocking piece of news for most people. It changes the course of their lives - how they think about partnering, parenting, sexuality, survival, work and much more. While I’m all for the mainstreaming of AIDS care and the de-stigmatization of the illness, I often find myself in a quandary about how we do that and still acknowledge all the life changing aspects of the illness.
—Stewart (read full post)
