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H.I.V. Testing

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coconut



Joined: 13 Feb 2006
Posts: 238
H.I.V. Testing

I guess this is as good a place as any to put this


H.I.V. Testing Standard
Persuasive Essay

On October 12, 2007, Governor Schwarzenegger approved A.B. 682 and it was filed with the Secretary of State the same day. A.B. 682 goes into effect in January of 2008.
A.B. 682 states that H.I.V. testing, which has up till now, been an “opt in” test, will now be an "opt out" test. When you have your physical and your doctor orders blood tests, included with your cholesterol and sugar, they will be testing for H.I.V.; the virus that causes A.I.D.S. (http://www.legisweb.net)
As much as one quarter of the population infected with H.I.V. do not know they carry the virus. (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv) With early detection, doctors can start the patient on a treatment plan that will allow the patient to live a normal life.
At last count 22 million people have died from this disease and there are 19 million women living with the disease right now. Half of all new infection in the United States occurs in people under the age of 25. This is an age where people still feel invincible and are far less likely to request a test. Because they do not know they have the disease they are far more likely to pass it on to their partners. California, Florida, New York State and Texas rank highest in annual infections with total numbers in 2005 being 4,088; 4,960; 6,299; 3,133, respectively. (http://www.cdc.gov)
While the number of new infections is lower than it has been in years, it still ranks as one of the leading contributors for death in the nation and the state of California. Overall A.I.D.S. is no longer in the top 10 leading causes of death but it is still the fifth leading cause of death for those 25-44. (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs)
In the early days of H.I.V. and A.I.D.S., a diagnosis was considered a death sentence. Once you were told you had the disease, doctors commonly told their patients to start making final arrangements. The life expectancy was less than one year. Even today, if you are engaging in any of the risky behaviors, and you do not get tested regularly, you can expect to die of the disease before or shortly after diagnosis. With early detection and early intervention, patients can go on to live normal lives for ten, twenty, even thirty years or more with minimal visible signs.
Even with all we know about the disease, there are still plenty of questions that remain unanswered. Despite the amount of information available, there are people who feel they do not want to associate with an infected person and will go to great lengths to see that they don’t. Because of this, the stigma that goes along with testing positive is still significant. Those opposed to this Bill do so because they fear the medical information being leaked or unnecessary testing being done.
H.I.P.A.A. (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) provides protection for patients against unwanted disclosure of medical records. This law means that you have full control over who has access to your records and that medical facilities cannot disclose any information in your medical file without expressed written consent by you. (http://hhs.gov/)
According to Sigrid Fry-Revere of the Cato Institute, routine testing puts those being tested at great risk. “Loss of confidentiality is a real risk, and a real concern.” Says Fry-Revere. “HIV testing is not like cholesterol testing. People don't worry about their cholesterol levels becoming public or about being stigmatized for their cholesterol status.”(http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8275)
The increased effectiveness in treating this disease significantly outweighs any minimal risks increased testing could cause. 37% discover they have the H.I.V. virus less than one year before they are diagnosed with full blown A.I.D.S. If H.I.V. is caught and treated early, one can expect to live ten years or more without developing full blown aids. Before the age of a simple blood test, a person could expect to live; at the most, two years before their body would start suffering from full blown aids. When A.I.D.S. first came to the forefront, living with A.I.D.S more than a year or so was unheard of. Recent advances in medical care and pharmacology, living up to thirty years is not impossible. (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv)
Another concern associated with routine testing is the lack of information for the person being tested. When one makes the decision to be tested for H.I.V., they are counseled about risk factors, what the possible outcomes could be of the test, what follow up is needed and possible treatments should the test come up positive. With routine testing, doctors will take less time to talk to their patients about these things. Fry-Revere says “No medical care should be so routine that physicians are dissuaded from discussing with patients their individual needs and concerns”.
The way he sees it, only patients who present with specified risk factors should be given the test. He also says that doctors should make the determination as to whether the patient should be tested. (http://www.cato.org) Doctors would make this determination according to the medical history shared with them by the patient. If the patient has decided not to share their full history with their doctor then the doctor has absolutely no way of knowing if they fall within a risk category or not.
According to the Bill, doctors are still bound by the “informed consent” law as well as allowing patients to opt out if they so choose. The only real difference with this law as opposed to the current law, is that instead of patients having to ask for the test, they just have to say no when the test becomes available if they wish.
Many people are apprehensive to ask for such a test because of the stigma that goes along with the associated risk factors. Because of this, far too many people go untested and reduce their life span and the quality of what life they may have left.
Medical research hinges on reliable information. Increased testing will give a true view of the actual numbers of people infected with the virus and all strains of the virus. With the increased information, researchers have a better chance of finding a cure and a way to better manage the disease in all stages. (http://aids.gov/index.html) We cannot afford to rely on the courage of those who may be at risk to ask for the test. Making it available to everyone and allowing them to opt out of the test if they choose to will increase the likelihood of those who do not know they are infected to find out as soon as possible.
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Wishing you were
somehow here again
wishing you were
somehow near
Sometimes it seemed
if I just dreamed
somehow you would
be here

Post Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:24 am 
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Eiregirl



Joined: 21 Jul 2005
Posts: 10230
Location: Chasing a pink bunny


ping pong...thank you for posting this

Hugs,
Eiregirl Arrow
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All poems and stories posted by Eiregirl are Copyright 2005 - 2008 Aoibhegréine These literary works are my property under copyright. If you wish to use my work for any purpose please ASK FIRST.

Post Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:12 pm 
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