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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 16, 1999)
april 16. 1999' ju s t out 9 mmineu;s ity populations are already distrustful of bureau cratic institutions or harbor strong fears of ostracism within their own communities. Others say immigrants and undocumented Oregon health officials want to hear from the public about a topic workers may also balk at getting tested or seek ing treatment for fear of deportation. that has sparked great debate nationwide by Inga Sorensen There are many populations greatly impact ed by HIV and A ID S— notably, minorities and ts a hot button issue that keeps resurfacing. tion— and that the benefits of early medical drug users— who are distrustful of the public Should the names— as well as ages, intervention, which didn’t exist just years earli health system, says longtime consumer advocate genders, races, risk behaviors and areas of er, have placed greater emphasis on learning the Jack Cox, who tested positive for HIV more residence— o f all people who test positive HIV status of people. than a dozen years ago. for HIV be reported to state and county The group also notes that proponents of Had names reporting been the order of the health departments? names reporting argue the Americans with Dis day back then, Cox says, he probably would not Or should health officials implement a abilities Act has strengthened the legal protec have sought testing. It was, he recalls, a time unique-identifier system, which utilizes a code of tions for people with HIV, easing concerns that when the gay community held such distrust numbers and letters instead of the names to names reporting will expose individuals to dis toward public institutions. track the spread of HIV? crimination by employers, insurance companies In 1994, Cox organized the HIV Advisory Fueled by a push from the federal Centers for or government agencies. Council of Oregon and Southwest Washington, Disease Control and Prevention, the Oregon The ACLU says that while these develop which works to improve HIV/AIDS services Health Division is pondering expanding its dis ments may warrant better HIV tracking, they do and give voice to consumers. ease-reporting system, and is seeking input via a not justify names reporting. Though he’s stepping hack from HIV-related series of community meetings throughout the According to one of the nine comprehensive work, he remains outspoken on the issue of state. studies cited in the A CLU ’s report, more than names reporting. Currently each state must report A ID S cases. 60 percent of individuals tested anonymously “I think there is a need for expanded report Traditionally, many states, including Oregon, would not have tested if their names were ing,” he tells Just Out. “But I believe unique have refrained from widespread reporting efforts reported to public health officials. The group identifiers is the way to go.” for people with HIV. says similar conclusions were reached by the Cox says he believes input from supporters of However, in the fall of 1997, the C D C other studies, strongly suggesting names report the unique-identifiers system at the public requested that all states and territories conduct forums could be effective. HIV tracking as part of their AIDS surveillance “I think we can influence programs. (Twenty-nine states currently require the direction of this,” he According to one o f the nine comprehensive the reporting of all HIV cases as well as AIDS says. cases.) studies cited in the ACLU's report, Tom Eversole, HIV/STD/ Many agree the advent of more promising T B program manager for more than percent o f individuals tested treatments for HIV disease makes it imperative OHD, says at this juncture to track HIV infections more effectively and his agency has no specific anonymously would not have tested if their link people with HIV to appropriate care. proposal on the table. names were reported to public health officials. They note that because fewer people are pro “We want to hear the gressing to AIDS, AIDS data is no longer an concerns and values of the accurate gauge of HIV prevalence. people of Oregon before we In the October 1997 issue of The New Eng come out with a proposal,” land Journal o f Medicine, Dr. John W. Ward, chief he says, adding that the pub of the C D C ’s HIV/AIDS surveillance branch, lic meetings, which have wrote: “Without revisions in surveillance sys been organized by the Coun tems, health authorities will not have reliable cil of Local Health Officials information about the prevalence, incidence, HIV Committee, should and future directions of HIV infection, the kinds provide important insight. of behavior that currently increase the risk of Currently in Oregon, HIV transmission, or the heightened impact on people can he tested for HIV specific subpopulations, such as racial and eth without giving their names. nic minorities and women.” And they can he tested con The major point of controversy is how to fidentially, meaning their track HIV— through names reporting or unique names are protected under identifiers? state law. Many advocacy groups favor unique identi For more than a decade, fiers instead of names reporting. They say such a those who have tested posi system would preserve confidentiality and pro tive for HIV have been vide better epidemiological data by encouraging anonymously reported to testing and minimizing duplicate names. OHD. Anonymous testing Names reporting proponents, meanwhile, has been available since ing would obstruct efforts by public health offi say that particular system would paint a more 1986, and Eversole stresses anonymous testing cials to track HIV cases. accurate portrait of HIV’s reach, as well as pro will always be an option. The A CLU ’s report also found legal protec vide an opportunity to get more people who test Currently, labs and health care providers tion against HIV discrimination to he far from positive the care they need via follow-up ser confidentially report symptomatic HIV-positive secure, despite the ADA. vices, which could include education, treatment people by name to local health departments and OHD. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, a and partner notification. San Francisco-based national medical organiza But opponents outline myriad concerns Oregon already has limited names reporting tion with 2,000 members, has come out strong for HIV-positive people with special circum about names reporting. ly against HIV names reporting. stances, as well as pediatric reporting. The American Civil Liberties Union has And the Human Rights Campaign, the published a document titled HIV Surveillance nation’s largest lesbian and gay political organi ■ The PUBLIC MEETINGS, held from 6 to 9 p.m., and Name Reporting: A Public Health C ase for are slated for April 20 at the Rogue River City zation, has said the need for an expanded HIV Protecting Civil Liberties, which argues such a surveillance system must be fully explained and Council, 133 Broadway in Rogue River; April 21 plan would undermine both public health and justified. The campaign is calling on the CDC at Lutheran Inner-City Ministries, 4219 N.E. civil liberties. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Ptrrtland; April 22 to demonstrate that the benefits of expanded T he report concludes that HIV names surveillance will outweigh the costs Kith in at the Unn County Fairgrounds, 3700 Knox Butte reporting would discourage a significant portion terms of resources and increased risk of confi Road in Albany; and April 27 at the Petersen Bam of the public from being tested, thereby ham and Community Center, 870 Bemtjen Road in dentiality breaches. pering HIV tracking efforts. Eugene. Even if confidentiality is guaranteed under The ACLU says it recognizes that the emer names reporting, some say the perception alone Other meeting are in the works. For more infor gence of promising new medical treatments and of a possible slip is enough to deter people from mation, call the toll-free expanded-reporting com improved legal protections have shifted the getting tested. ment line at 1-800-777-2437. focus of epidemiological surveillance to the Critics say some people within ethnic minor “front end” of the AIDS epidemic— HIV infec W hat ’ s in a N ame ? I 60 A smart financial plan begins with just 7 numbers. 238-6036 WADDELL S e REED The people with a plan for you. 500 NE Multnomah Portland, OR 97232 503/238-6036