Agenda - Council - 05/28/1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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A I D S Confidentiadity Because of the stigma that has been associated with AIDS, many afflicted with the disease orwho are infected with the.LIDS virus are reluctant to be identified with AIDS. Because there is no vaccine to preventAIDS and no cure, many feel there is nothing to be gamed by revealing sexual contacts that might also be infected with theAiDS virus. When a community or a state requires reporting of those infected with the AIDS virus to public health authorities in order to trace sexual and intravenous drug contacts-as is the practice with other sexually transmitted diseases- those infected with the AIDS virus go underground out of the mainstream of health care and education. For this reason current public health practice is to protect the privacy of the individualinfected witfi the AIDS virus and to maintain the strictest confidentiality concerning his/her health records. State and Local A2DS Task Forces Many state and local jurisdictions where AIDS has been seen in the greatest numbers haveAiDS ask forces with heavy representation from the field of public health joined by others who can speak broad .ly to issues of access to care, provision of care and the availability of community and psychiatric support services. Such a ask force is needed in every communitywith the power to develop plans and policies, to speak, and to act for the good of the public health at every level. State and local ask forces should plan ahead and work collaboratively with other jurisdictions to reduce transmis. sion o£AJDS by far-reaching informational and educational programs. As ADS impacts more strongly on society, they should be charged with making recommendations to pro- vide for the needs of those afliicted with AIDS. They also will be in the best position to answer the concerns and direct the activities of those who are not infected with the ADS virus. ,0/57. A I D S The responsibility of State and local task forces should be far reaching and might include the following areas: · Insure enforcement of public health regulation of such practices as ear piercing and tattooing to prevent trans- mission of theAiDS virus. · ConductAiDS education programs for police, firemen. correctional institution workers and emergency medical personnel for dealing with AIDS victims and the public. · Insure that institutions catering to children or adults ~ who soil themselves or their surroundings with urine, stool, and vomitus have adequate equipment for cleanup and disposal, and have policies to insure the practice of good hygiene. School Schools will have special problems in the future. In addition to the guidelines already mentioned in this pamphlet, there are other things that should be considered such as sex education and education of the handicapped. Sex Education Educaoon conce.rning AIDS must start at the lowest grade possible as part of any health and hygiene program, The appearance of AIDS could bring together diverse groups of parents and educators with opposing views on inclu- sion of sex education in the curricula. There is now no doubt that we need sex education in schools and that it must include information on heterosexual and homosexual relationships. The threat of AIDS should be sufficient to per- mit a sex education curriculum with a heavy emphasis on prevention of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Hand~' capy~ed and Special Education Children with AIDS or ARC will be attending school along with otherswho carry the AiDS virus. Some children will : develop brain disease which will produce changes in mental I ! i I I I I ! I i I I I I I I