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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1999)
dec ember 17,1 IJ b i !t i : I'i'i Sinews e it 90 seconds, 90 minutes, 90 hours Names reporting proponents, meanwhile, In September 1998, OHD convened an ad or 90 days, if the names of people say their choice of methodology would paint a hoc committee to elicit input from those most who test positive for HIV are in the more accurate portrait of HIV’s reach, as well as impacted by HIV. government’s records for any dura provide an opportunity to get more people who The committee held public forums in eight tion of time, confidentiality breach test positive the care they need via follow-up, counties throughout Oregon, distributed written es remain a serious risk. which could include education, treatment and surveys to hundreds of people and received So say critics of the Oregon Health Divi partner notification. anonymous comments on a toll-free voice mail sions proposal for expanding the states disease According to Modesitt, OHD’s proposal system. reporting system to temporarily include the contains elements of both systems. What emerged was the feeling that no sys names of people with HIV. “We need the names but we don’t want to tem of reporting should compromise the indi Earlier this month, OHD unveiled the long- drive people away,” he says. vidual’s privacy or confidentiality, that expand awaited plan, which says confidential testing Ensuring the names would only be available ed HIV/AIDS reporting should result in would continue but the names of those who test for a relatively short period of time and then improved access to testing and care, and that positive for HIV would be reported to the pub coded and cleared from records, he says, might anonymous HIV testing should never be lic health system. make people feel more secure. removed as an option. After 90 days the names would be switched The board of Cascade AIDS Project, which Even if confidentiality is guaranteed under to codes and wiped from case reports. Anony provides an array of HIV/AlDS-related services names reporting, some say the perception alone mous testing, meanwhile, would remain an in Oregon and southwest Washington, released of a possible slip is enough to deter people from option for people who don’t getting tested. want to disclose their names. Modesitt says OHD Steve Modesitt, manager officials understand those of OHD’s HIV surveillance concerns and will likely section, says the agency feels approach state lawmakers the plan would “make it eas next session asking them, ier to determine the scope of among other things, to infection” statewide and approve tougher penalties more effectively provide ser for those who violate con Oregon Health Division's HIV tracking proposal tries vices to those who test posi fidentiality guarantees. tive. Despite such assur to straddle the fence between names and codes, According to Modesitt, ances, skepticism abounds. but some are still dissatisfied with the arrangement the 90-day timetable was A few days after OHD deemed necessary to com released its recommenda by Inga Sorensen plete case investigations, tion, state health officials which could include inter met with concerned indi views with people who do viduals and representa test positive for the virus. tives from community Throughout the epidem based organizations. ic, government surveillance Jaime Rodriquez of the has focused on AIDS, and Oregon Council for His currently each state must panic Advancement was report AIDS cases. Tradi on hand. tionally, many states— Many Latinos and including Oregon—have other ethnic minorities refrained from widespread remain distrustful of reporting efforts for people bureaucratic institutions, with HIV. he says, adding that In 1997, however, the immigrants and undocu federal Centers for Disease mented workers may balk Control and Prevention at getting tested or seek requested that all states con ing treatment for fear of duct HIV tracking as part of deportation. their AIDS surveillance pro “There are concerns grams, following the same about the INS somehow practice used for infectious getting a hold of those diseases like tuberculosis and names,” Rodriquez says. syphilis. Longtime HIV con The two most common sumer advocate Jack Cox —Jack Cox, of the Portland-based forms of HIV tracking are Alliance for Public Alliance for Public Health names reporting and unique identifiers. Health Accountabilty Accountability adds that Names reporting involves the proposal “appears to recording the name, age, gender, race, risk a position statement in response to OHD’s pro be a compromise, but there continues to be frus behavior for acquiring HIV and area of residence posal, saying in part: “Generally speaking, this tration that the state is not listening to the con for those who test positive. proposed policy appears to be a workable com cerns of communities of color and injection drug The unique identifiers scheme, meanwhile, promise between all views on expanded report users. OHD wants to believe that public health relies on number-and-letter codes rather than ing, and one that we may be able to support. is the good guy and a safe place, and it’s not.” “We are encouraged that this proposed poli the names of those who test positive. Unique Says Modesitt: “People need to know that identifiers would be reported along with the per cy provides continuation of anonymous HIV within public health, surveillance is very much a son’s age, gender, race, risk behavior and area of testing, while providing a mechanism to collect closed loop. We don’t have a relationship with more accurate data regarding HIV infection, the INS and law enforcement.” residence. Many agree the availability of more promis and strengthening the link between testing and In late January, the Public Health Advisory ing treatments for HIV disease makes it impera access to medical, prevention and other ser Board, which is composed of constituencies vices.” throughout the state, plans to discuss the propos tive to track the virus more effectively and link Still, critics fear any names reporting would al. It will review and collect community feed people with HIV to services. They note that, because fewer people are progressing to an AIDS discourage a significant portion of the public back and will endorse, help revise, or reject the diagnosis, AIDS data is no longer an accurate from being tested, thereby hampering HIV plan. tracking. Upon receiving the board’s input, which may gauge of HIV prevalence. In October 1997, after the CDC announced take several months, OHD will ponder its next The major point of contention is choosing how to track HIV—through names reporting or the need for expanded HIV reporting, OHD step. responded with a preliminary recommendation unique identifiers. Many advocacy groups favor unique identi for name-based expanded reporting. Many with ■ For questions or comments about Just Out’s fiers, saying such a system would preserve confi in the HIV-affected community quickly voiced Northwest, national err world news coverage, please dentiality and provide better epidemiological strong concerns about that plan, prompting send an e-mail to News Editor 1NGA SORENSEN at OHD to postpone implementation. inga@justout.com. data by encouraging testing. B C ompromising POSITION The proposal appears to be a compromise, but there continues to be frustration that the state is not listening to the concerns of communities of color and injection drug users. HdiKet I lcì< e Free Wine Tasting Come join us for our free wine tastings. The first Tuesday of every month from 5 pm to 7 pm. John’s Marketplace is locally gay owned and operated and welcomes ALL to our wine tastings. Call for fund-raising opportunities for your nonprofit group. 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