Who do Polish patients inform about their HIV infection?

SummaryBackgroundThe study's objective was to obtain information about whom – apart from their sexual partner – Polish patients inform about their HIV infections and what are the consequences.Material and methodsThe questionnaire survey included people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), who were asked about the changes in their lives which resulted from HIV infection and about whom they informed about the infection.ResultsThe most often PLWAs informed their parents about the infection, either one of them (mother more frequently than father) or both (75.3%). The fewest patients informed their workmates about the infection (4.7%), and 6.8% told nobody. 75 persons (23.4%) replied that their family and friends were informed by”someone else” – doctors the most often (43 cases – 57.3%), employees of drug addicts rehabilitation centres (14 cases – 18.7%), in 13 cases (17.3%) members of family and in 5 (6.7%) – court or police.Consequences of disclosing the result of a HIV testrefusal to admit to a secondary school (in 4 cases – 1.2%), forced resignation of school (in 1 case – 0.3%), deterioration of relationships with parents (in 12 cases – 3.7%), with siblings (in 25 cases – 7.8%), with friends (in 30 cases – 9.3%). Five respondents (1.6%) replied that the result of a HIV test performed in a medical care institution in a small town was known to all the inhabitants.ConclusionIn Poland still information about HIV infection is delivered by the medical care staff not only to the persons concerned but also to their family members, workmates and other persons and the fact has sometimes negative effect on the PLWA's further life.