HIV Testing among MSM as a Serious Problem: What Should Specialists Do? Unfortunately, HIV infection is diagnosed at late stages of disease when a person already has clinical manifestations of opportunistic infections and when the efficiency of ARV therapy is declining. For example, of 14,158 new diagnoses made for MSM in England and Wales in 9 years (1993-2002), 31% were late (<strong>with</strong> CD4 count
1 Testing for HIV: Why Is It Needed? AIDS Foundation East-West, Kiev, 2007 16 • two similar answers, each of which were given by the one third of respondents included the confidence that they were not infected, and, respectively, did not need testing; • the number of positive answers grew <strong>with</strong> the increased level of sexual risk — it was especially apparent in the 3-d group (group M, who had more than 1 partner); • many respondents (and this is surprising) confirmed the thought that they do not need testing because they do not have symptoms. The authors wrote: “Our results remind the data obtained in other studies, which say that men, who know about their own infection are reluctant to seek treatment until symptoms occur”; • The 3/5 of respondents from this sampling said that in the meantime they could opt for testing for HIV. The authors explain this answer by the process of rationalization — if the test is delayed, then the thoughts about its consequences can also be postponed, i.e., they wanted to keep everything as it was. The research authors recommend two suggestions that can help professionals to work <strong>with</strong> so important thought processes. Firstly, it is necessary to work <strong>with</strong> the psychological defence in the form of rationalizations used by gay men to buttress a decision not to be tested. Secondly, there is a need to explore the thoughts about perceived problems or losses allegedly related to testing. There are a number of arguments that can be used by health care workers, psychologists and social workers (outreach workers) at the counselling of LGBT community representatives in order to increase motivation to be tested for HIV 1 . Motivation for HIV Testing 1. When you know the test result, you can get rid of uncertainty related to disappointing thoughts that you may possibly have HIV infection, but you do not know about it. 2. If the test result shows that you do not have HIV, while you know that your behaviour is related to risk of infection, you may learn how to be more careful to avoid infection in the future. 3. Knowing about the presence of virus in your body, you will be able to protect other people, first of all, your sexual partners, from infection. 4. If you get positive test result, you can consult a doctor to obtain care and support. 5. The earlier the test was made, and, if needed, the earlier treatment was started, the better are chances for you to preserve your health. Research data show that lade detection of virus is related to higher indicators of infection-related morbidity and mortality. 6. A doctor or a counsellor will help you to make a decision about how to behave yourself you“re your relatives and close ones, or how to talk about HIV <strong>with</strong> people, whom you possibly exposed to the risk of infection. 7. You can get information about organizations and self-help groups for people, living <strong>with</strong> HIV, and find people life yourself, who can share their experience of living <strong>with</strong> HIV.
- Page 1 and 2: Social Work with People Practicing
- Page 3 and 4: Editor and Compiler: Laima Geidar.
- Page 5 and 6: Content 1. Background Information.
- Page 7 and 8: 1 Please, see the Glossary of Terms
- Page 9 and 10: 1 Alfred Kinsley performed 2 studie
- Page 11 and 12: There is hardly anyone whose sexual
- Page 13 and 14: Round table on LGBT issues, MOH of
- Page 15: 1 Rosser BR, Bockting WO, et al. Th
- Page 19 and 20: 65.7% of female respondents have ne
- Page 21 and 22: Women’s Network Summer Camp, 2008
- Page 23 and 24: 1 According to the draft Order of t
- Page 25 and 26: As for my homosexuality, I“ve bee
- Page 27 and 28: Photo: Bogdana Bondar, Photo-projec
- Page 29 and 30: 28 on the part of the others and br
- Page 31 and 32: I don't think homosexuality is a ch
- Page 33 and 34: 1 The term “coming-out“ refers
- Page 35 and 36: 34 he is confronted with the proble
- Page 37 and 38: 36 eventually guarantee a normal de
- Page 39 and 40: I am reminded of a colleague who re
- Page 41 and 42: — Next time, if someone asks you:
- Page 43 and 44: 1 Социально-психоло
- Page 45 and 46: 44 positive MSM. Moreover, in case
- Page 47 and 48: Women’s Network Party, Kyiv, 2007
- Page 49 and 50: “Dark Nights” Festival, Kyiv, 2
- Page 51 and 52: 50 Ukrainian Model of Outreach Work
- Page 53 and 54: Outreach work 52 Outreach Team Serv
- Page 55 and 56: I should tell you that homosexualit
- Page 57 and 58: Everybody's journey is individual.
- Page 59 and 60: 1 Materials from the Review of inte
- Page 61 and 62: 60 Davao monsignor Fernando Capalli
- Page 63 and 64: It doesn't matter what you do in th
- Page 65 and 66: When I didn't know yet who homosexu
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66 • Does not require special kno
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68 Pluses Minuses • Provides LGBT
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Those, who today still continue to
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I believe that everyone in this wor
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I feel myself a zebra that has to e
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Answering the journalist's question
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This you, straights, are vested wit
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First National Conference of LGBT O
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Homosexuals pose a threat to the so
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Gay-forum event, Dnipropetrovsk, 20
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Seminar on Community Mobilization,
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1 The following manual was used for
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90 While creating an alliance it is
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92 meetings, discussions, to develo
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I don“t think there is a “gay l
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They are preserving the sanctity of
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Press-conference, 2005 98 7.2. Step
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100 5. Identification of the campai
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102 advocacy campaign. Second, addi
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104 2) Development of the campaign'
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1 See Memorandum of Understanding b
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108 7.3. Methods and Tools of Advoc
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Homosexuality, along with other uni
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1 http://www.feminist.org.ua/ confe
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114 7.4. National Strategies of Adv
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116 Conclusion So, we have consider
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1 Oostvogels R. Assessment of highr
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120 9. Glossary of Key Terms Agitat
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122 views, sexual orientation, sex
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124 Motivation is a system of incen
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1 Лекторский В. О то
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