L E Klosinski | PubMed Health

PubMed2000

HIV testing from a community perspective.

The communities of people impacted by AIDS in the United States are diverse and have divergent opinions about HIV antibody testing. Concerns over social issues like stigma, confidentiality, and disclosure, combined with a legacy of advocacy, have shaped testing policies and praxis since the introduction of HIV antibody testing in 1985. The continued impact of the HIV epidemic on the underserved and socially marginalized focuses these concerns and highlights the importance of linkages between testing and care and treatment. The development of new testing technologies challenges HIV communities to develop a new rhetoric promoting early detection of the disease.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1999

Assisting persons living with HIV/AIDS to return to work: programmatic steps for AIDS service organizations.

The objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive picture of the concerns and needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS who are interested in returning to work. To collect information in this new area, a series of focus groups was conducted with a random sample of clients from AIDS Project Los Angeles who were currently unemployed and expressed a desire to return to work. The results indicate a range of concerns among individuals with HIV/AIDS about returning to work, such as a loss of or change in medical benefits, the need for flexibility in employment to address ongoing medical needs, concerns regarding disclosure of their HIV/AIDS status, the possibility of job related discrimination, and the need to address the practical aspects of reentering the labor market after a prolonged absence. The findings suggest a series of action steps for AIDS service organizations and others to address the needs of persons with HIV/AIDS in this new area.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗