September 1.2000
Ii'iu iiü iv j^ im e w s
Continued from Page 1
Under the current proposal, Henson says
names not only would he available to the state’s
health division hut could he recorded by coun
ty health departments. He says that people
already distrust county health systems in rural
Oregon and that the plan only would damage
the relationship further.
Cascade AID S Project, Oregon’s largest
HIV/AIDS agency, supports expanded report
ing but is less clear about the current proposal.
When asked about it, CA P reissued its Decem
ber 1999 position statement: “Generally
speaking, this proposed policy appears to he a
workable compromise between all views on
expanded reporting and one that we may he
Steve Henson, who sits on the governor-
appointed Oregon Public Health Advisory
Board, says name reporting would be a prob
lem. The building contractor, who lives in rural
Coos County, says he isn’t worried about viola
tions of rules in reporting the names of people
with HIV.
Henson says the state has no real history
of that. “ But public perception will keep
people from getting tested until they are
symptomatic.”
Cox agrees. “Public health has failed to
market itself, so people don’t trust it.”
He isn’t worried about
breaches of confidentiality,
hut he knows others will he.
“People are afraid... and
they don’t have as much
information as I have.”
The consequence, Hen
son says, is people won’t get
tested and won’t receive
early treatment. Additional
ly, he thinks when people
don’t know their HIV status,
they are more likely to put
others in danger.
The health division esti
mates between 3,500 and
6,000 Oregonians have HIV.
In the proposed report
ing system, names would he
converted to a unique
identifier (or code) within
90 days. After the conver
sion, the names would he
removed from the patient’s
file.
In 1999, an HIV Ex
panded
Surveillance
Committee at the
"HIV is not chlamydia
health division took
testimony
from
The truth about AIDS
Oregonians about
is it's much more o f a
the issue. Henson,
who sat on the
sociological disease than a
panel, says people
biological one. There is
overw h elm in gly
able to support.”
stated they would
still
endless
shame
A request for an interview
refrain from being
with Dr. Mark Loveless, health
tested if names re
involved with it
division HIV prevention man
porting was part of the
—
Jack Cox
ager, from Just Out received no
policy. “Their comments
response. He told The Oregonian the
were largely based on the
new
system of reporting will get HIV-
perception that they couldn’t trust
infected residents the services they need and
the government with their health.”
Oregonians have two options when getting help the agency get a better understanding of
where the disease is spreading.
a HIV test: anonymous testing or confidential
More than 30 states use name-based
testing. Anonymous testers never report their
name. Confidential testers provide a name, hut reporting systems. Epidemiologists say more
accurate information about the number of
it is not recorded in the patient’s file.
HIV cases is needed for prevention planning
Henson says a compromise is available:
unique identifiers. In fact, he says the system was and to link infected people with vital health
part of the recommendation the advisory hoard services.
Cox thinks Loveless has decided this is the
made to the Oregon Health Division. He doesn’t
only way to report people who test positive and
know why the state failed to pursue that option.
has ignored minorities, the gay community and
Ron Cease, the advisory board’s chairman,
most service providers. “It is a huge violation of
says that community groups generally have
been opposed to full names reporting and that process,” he says.
his panel would not support such a move. “We
treat HIV as a health issue and a civil rights ■ The O regon H ealth D ivision will hold
public hearings 9 a.m. Sept. 21 at the Holiday
issue,” he says.
Cease thinks a solution has not been pre Inn Airport, 8439 N.E. Columbia Blvd.,
Portland; 10 a.m. Sept. 28 at the Rogue Valley
sented that is entirely acceptable to everyone.
He knows that people who suspect their priva Medical Center, 2825 Barnett Road, Medford;
cy will he compromised will not come forward and 10a.m. Sept. 29 at the Central Oregon
Environmental Center, I6N.W. Kansas, Bend.
to he tested.
On the other hand, Cease understands Call (503) 731 -4000 for more information.
the need for the health division to have
J o n a th a n K ipp is a Just Out staff reporter
cooperation from citizens to gather accurate
and important information. It is a difficult who can be reached at jkipp@teleport.com.
situation, he says.
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