Disclosing HIV Status ~ Living with HIV in the Philippines

Disclosing HIV Status

Posted by Pozziepinoy on 7:54 AM

You are a pozzie. Either you just found this out recently or you knew this a long time ago. But whether it is still fresh news that you are beginning to accept or a status that you’ve been dealing with for a while, there will always come a situation where in you will be dealing with one scenario, which is the point of disclosing or not to disclose your status, to tell others that you are infected with HIV. In most situations you would want to be honest with people and at the same time protect your right to privacy.

But who can you tell? Have you ever been to that point when you want to tell somebody but you don’t know how much information to say? Do you want to tell your partner, your parents, friends or a person you are currently dating? How about your your past sexual partners? Can you disclose your status even though there is fear that you will be blamed in case they already have it? Do you have to disclose to other doctors and other health care providers your status, like your dentist, your dermatologists, your eye doctor or when you will be having surgical operations? Would you be able to accept their reactions? Do people have the legal right to ask about your status, or deny you care if you are a pozzie? Have you ever experienced a situation when you are legally required to disclose your status because of employment, or a requirement in any government office?

With all these questions, I can say that there are no right answers. It boils down to knowing when and what information you need to provide and your comfortability level with that person you are going to tell.

Time is an important factor. Just don’t rush into disclosing yourself. Give it some thought first before telling someone. I know that sometimes we feel that we can tell everyone especially when we first have accepted the truth. But don’t be overwhelmed by the situation. You have a lifetime to disclose if you need to. The fact of the matter is that we need to be selective about who the persons who need to tell and when is the best time to tell it. The result of disclosing can be a happy one or something that we tend to regret later on. Still it boils down to how ready we are to accept whatever the result of disclosing is.

Take it easy. I know you will encounter situations wherein you want to disclose yourself. Sometime you feel that you have to, and tell it fast to family members, employers, co-workers and friends. It is a natural reaction. However we have to think too that disclosing can create new problems. Even though for the past decades there have been improvements with the level of awareness of people, still, there is still stigma attached to HIV and to the people are infected with it.

Of course it is a choice we all have to make. Knowing all the consequences, the stigma and the level of understanding of some people, we still have to disclose our status one way of the other to families, friends or even coworkers.

But why do we have to disclose?

A. Family members

For support system: physical, emotional, social and financial
For financial assistance when it comes to health
For assistance with precautionary measures
For ARV adherence
For avoidance of opportunistic infection

B. Friends

Emotional and social support
Rechannelling of energies to productive means
For ARV adherence
for avoidance of opportunistic infections

C. Sexual Partners

It is in the law. From the Aids Law in the Philippines Section 34. Disclosure to Sexual Partners - Any person with HV is obliged to disclose his/her HIV status and health condition to his/her spouse or sexual partner at the earliest opportune time.
For prevention of HIV transmission
To protect ourselves from opportunistic infections

D. Co-workers

Social support
ARV adherence
Understanding of health condition
Prevention of infections
For understanding health limitations

E. Other health providers

Precautionary measures
Prevention of transmission
Prevention of opportunistic infections
Understanding current health status can be influenced by HIV status and medications

To disclose or not to disclose? That is the question. There is no right answer to this. But there is always the right time, considering the maturity of the person, the level of awareness and understanding and need to do so.