What counselliing do clinics give nowadays? The one time I got tested was in 1992, just after clinics got set up in a hurry and staffed by any fuckwit they could find. The 'counselling' consisted of grilling me about every detail of activity which might have put me at risk, then concluding there was a chance I could have HIV (well duh!) and permitting me to be tested. After taking the blood I was asked offhandedly what I would do if it was positive, and I shrugged. That was it.
What counselling would be relevant? As I see it, the ramifications of the results are the same as the consequences of knowing you have a chance of being infected, except that if you have a test result you can seek treatment. What other issues are there?
Apologies for not replying sooner. I don’t check the email account I use for LJ notifications often enough.
With regard to what counselling is given in clinics nowadays, I do not know. It would be interesting to contact one to find out.
Having been on the receiving end of a similar grilling for a different test I know how annoying it can be to be asked what seem like obvious, irrelevant or personal questions. On the other hand, since then and having worked for the NHS (I’m currently a student nurse) I know how important it is to establish even the most basic of facts from which to draw the right conclusions.
What counselling would be relevant? As I see it, the ramifications of the results are the same as the consequences of knowing you have a chance of being infected, except that if you have a test result you can seek treatment.
As far as I see it counselling is relevant because unfortunately not everyone has the capacity to deal with the bad news of a positive test result very well (by bad news I'm using the definition which describes it as any news that drastically alters for the worse a person’s view of his or her future and/or past). It cannot be assumed that everyone who takes a test will respond in a rational, intelligent manner. This in turn has many implications if home testing were available.
The way the in which bad news is broken influences whether or not the news is accepted. Quite often bad news has to be repeated as the person seeks confirmation of the news, becomes increasingly aware of the situation, or forgets what he or she has been told. It has also been suggested that a recipient’s immediate and longer term reactions are influenced by the way in which bad news is disclosed. Therefore, if a person takes a home test on their own and without access to any information they might need, what they perceive as a bad result may impact on their acceptance of that result and its implications. lovingboth mentions two possible consequences of this which take into account the interests of any one at risk as well as the person taking the test. Also worrying is the possibility that someone who takes a home test may not seek treatment for a number of reasons such as lack of information about what will happen to them. This could also lead to distressing fantasies which might be worse than reality. Distrust and difficult relationships between all concerned are another potential consequence. Therefore, I feel that counselling is necessary even in the most basic form of just having someone present at the time of receiving test results who knows all the relevant information to talk to if the person taking the test feels they need to.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
baggyeyes
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Re: Ethical concerns
Date: 2004-08-10 02:20 pm (UTC)What counselling would be relevant? As I see it, the ramifications of the results are the same as the consequences of knowing you have a chance of being infected, except that if you have a test result you can seek treatment. What other issues are there?
Re: Ethical concerns
Date: 2004-08-11 02:47 am (UTC)What other issues are there?
Who to tell and the consequences of your behaviour, for two. If you've been risky with more than one person, you may have infected someone.
There can also be insurance issues, pregnancy issues...
Re: Ethical concerns
Date: 2004-08-19 09:38 am (UTC)With regard to what counselling is given in clinics nowadays, I do not know. It would be interesting to contact one to find out.
Having been on the receiving end of a similar grilling for a different test I know how annoying it can be to be asked what seem like obvious, irrelevant or personal questions. On the other hand, since then and having worked for the NHS (I’m currently a student nurse) I know how important it is to establish even the most basic of facts from which to draw the right conclusions.
What counselling would be relevant? As I see it, the ramifications of the results are the same as the consequences of knowing you have a chance of being infected, except that if you have a test result you can seek treatment.
As far as I see it counselling is relevant because unfortunately not everyone has the capacity to deal with the bad news of a positive test result very well (by bad news I'm using the definition which describes it as any news that drastically alters for the worse a person’s view of his or her future and/or past). It cannot be assumed that everyone who takes a test will respond in a rational, intelligent manner. This in turn has many implications if home testing were available.
The way the in which bad news is broken influences whether or not the news is accepted. Quite often bad news has to be repeated as the person seeks confirmation of the news, becomes increasingly aware of the situation, or forgets what he or she has been told. It has also been suggested that a recipient’s immediate and longer term reactions are influenced by the way in which bad news is disclosed. Therefore, if a person takes a home test on their own and without access to any information they might need, what they perceive as a bad result may impact on their acceptance of that result and its implications.