Convicted for Not Disclosing

Living With HIV:
HIV Disclosure

Should people living with HIV disclose their status? Yes.

Why?

Because today, there is an estimated 45 million people living with HIV globally, at least according to statistics collected by the Center of Disease Control. Yet, 2.7 million people were newly infected in 2008. But imagine how many are infected and don't know it because they refuse to get tested?

Better yet, how many know their infected and still have unprotected sex without sharing their diagnosis?

Interestingly, 2008, 430,000 children were born with HIV. Even more shocking, young people between the ages of 15-25 equate for 40% of people living with HIV. So while there are those who are doing everything possible to combate against the fight for disclosure, sadly the infection rate continues climb.

Therefore, yes, disclosure is necessarys for many reasons; and certainly deserves the attention it needs in order to get the message out, that sharing a HIV diagnosis can help decrease the infection rate.

In addition, it gives those who are not yet infected a chance to make the decision to have sex with an infected person; instead of them being infected without their consent, and later testing positive.

In fact, if you recall that day when you heard the doctor say, "I'm sorry to inform you, but you tested positive for the HIV virus", you remember how hearing those words stung?

Sadly, each of us living with this virus trusted whomever infected us. As a result, we must battle learning how to live with this infection each and every day of our lives; either until a cure is found or we die.


About The Author:

Bradley L. Fowler is a long time survivor, living with HIV. Since being diagnosed, he has acquired his HIV educator & counseling certification with the Michigan Department of Community Health, and the Detroit Department of Community Health, as well as attained training with the Detroit Health Department HIV/AIDS Program in Focusing on Community Presentations.

Furthermore, he has completed the Series I Navigator to Pilot Peer Educational training program with Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and attained certification with the Objective Review Committee for HIV/AIDS Consumers, sponsored by the HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Health Resources & Services Administration and the National Pediatric & Family HIV Resource Center at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey.

Moreover, he's earned his certificate of completion in HIV 101, PK and You, and HIV Drug Resistance, through POZ Life Forums.


Meanwhile, Bradley is a member of I Stand With Magic HIV/AIDS Organization, the Human Rights Campaign, and a member of the American Alliance for Paralegals, Inc.

To find out more just click the link provided:
http://hivpositivemagazine.com/lashawn_fowler.html