Frequently-asked questions.

Please also forward any questions you may have to Matthew Bowden.

This page will answer frequently-asked questions. These questions have been generated as part of the HACC/HIV training being undertaken around New South Wales. In addition, commonly raised issues will be addressed.

Questions are organised into categories:

• HIV/AIDS basics
• Attitudes
• Disclosure
• History
• Services
• Safe sex
• Transmission
• Treatment
• Children
• Hepatitis C

HIV/AIDS basics

• What is the "cell count"?
  
• How quickly can a HIV test be completed and results back? How reliable are the tests?
  
• AIDS, is it always fatal?
  
• How prevalent and contagious is HIV in the heterosexual community?
  
• What's the difference between HIV and AIDS?
  
• Are there symptoms of AIDS/HIV? What are they?
  
• Difference between HIV and AIDS?
  
• Are HIV and AIDS the same thing?
  
• Approximately how many people in Australia have HIV/AIDS?
  

Attitudes

• It’s easier for gay men because there are lots of gay men with AIDS.
  
• Children are the innocent victims of AIDS.
  
• Is there complacency in the community now that HIV seems to be no longer a perceived threat in Australia?
  
• Acceptance of gay lifestyle in society.
  
• Do people with HIV feel they are disabled or disadvantaged?
  
• Is there still a stigma attached to someone with HIV, or is the majority of the population more educated and aware now?
  
• HIV mostly affects homosexuals?
  
• The emphasis on HIV/AIDS appears to be on the African and Asian continents now.
  
• How can you respond to “older” HACC clients response to an “obvious” gay person accessing a service – stereotyping?
  
• Do you think the message of “safe sex” has reached the gay community?
  
• I have many gay friends that don’t.
  
• How is HIV/AIDS and people with it accepted within the community?
  
• How do victims deal with the virus emotionally?
  
• People can only contract HIV through homosexuality.
  In 1985, a friend commented she didn’t want to use a cup in a gay person’s home in case she got AIDS. How would I challenge (nicely) that attitude?
  
• HIV is not anti social or disgrace to have.
  
• Fear of infection is ignorance based.
  
• I can’t work with HIV positive people because I don’t want AIDS.
  
• I know HIV is out there but it seems to be in closed communities and hasn’t really touched my life – yet.
  
• People with HIV/AIDS don’t live in the country, they all live in the “big cities”. So it’s not a problem in rural areas.
  
• HIV is a sexually transmitted disease acquired from unclean, unsafe practices/habits.
  
• Has the attitude towards people with AIDS changed in the community?
  

Disclosure

• You know of a person HIV positive, still sexually active with many people, what should you do or tell?
  
• Do people with HIV have special dietary needs? Should our volunteers be aware of who they are delivering to, keeping in mind most are elderly?
  
• Can volunteers be told if a person they are visiting has HIV?
  
• Some GP’s in this area have breached privacy of HIV/AIDS clients.
  
• Are there legislative requirements to disclose status when applying for HACC services?
  
• Does a person with HIV have to advise a service provider their HIV status?
  
• All care workers have to know the person is HIV positive.
  
• HIV – life threatening – huge social stigma – disclose? Or not?
  
• How much information needs to be disclosed to other services? Is it appropriate to tell
• Homecare the client has HIV or is it necessary?
  
• Do you have to disclose to staff that the client has AIDS? (Privacy Act)
  
• When presenting with HIV do you still need to name your sexual partners?
  
• A service has to be provided to a person with HIV. This is to be provided by a volunteer.
• What info does the volunteer need to be given?

History

• Where did AIDS come from? How long has it been around?
  
• Monkeys passed AIDS to humans? But monkeys will not die from the result of AIDS.
  
• Where did HIV originate? How far does it go back through history?
  
• How did AIDS start?

Services

• What services are available to assist?
  
• Are there many support groups available in our area for victims?
  
• Training calendar, interagency attendances, who are we targeting? Part of validation ongoing Uni level training target HACC training and organisations.
  
• In regional communities, are there many support groups available?
  
• When does a person who is HIV positive, become a HACC client?
  
• Is there a support system for employees with HIV/AIDS that will provide advice and support directly around workplace discrimination?
  
• What about OH & S issues on HIV?
  
• What resources and services are available for people with HIV/AIDS in rural areas?
  
• What is the cost of medication for a HIV positive person? And what sort of pharmaceutical benefits apply?
  
• Does Australia have a lobby group against pharmaceutical companies to reduce the cost of drugs for HIV?
  
• AIDS sufferers and increase monies for research into cures?
  
• Is there financial counselling or other financial support services available in this area for people with HIV/AIDS?
  
• ACON does not deal with hetreos.
  
• Should people with HIV be accessing HACC services? Has mortality rate declined?
  
• Where is the best organisation to provide training for volunteers?
  
• Can HACC workers expect more HIV/AIDS people utilising services eg. transport, respite etc. as treatment available allows a longer better quality of life?
  
• Is HIV a disability? HACC targets frail aged, carers and people with disabilities.
  
• In regards to care workers providing service is it necessary for staff to have HIV training or do you feel that standard universal precaution is the only training needed?
  

Safe sex

• What is good safe sex practice?

Transmission

• How can it be transmitted?
  
• What are the methods to prevent the transmission of HIV?
  
• Can HIV or AIDS be transmitted by saliva? eg. if a client spits Is it possible to contract HIV from working in bathrooms of clients who have it?
  
• Are we as a nation getting on top of this disease?
  
• How do you get infected from a needle stick if virus cannot survive out in the open?
  
• If people have an autoimmune disease are they more at risk of getting HIV?
  
• How do you look after someone with HIV/AIDS without catching the disease?
  
• I’d like to find out from a driver’s point where we stand on HIV.
  
• Can the general public catch HIV?
  
• I thought it was easy to catch – if blood, bodily fluids were present?
  
• Is there today, a guarantee of not transmitting AIDS, Hep C, etc through hospital blood transfusions?
  
• What current research is available on transmission avenues for HIV/AIDS?
  
• Can offspring of infected people (ie women) become infected through breastfeeding, breast milk? Is there a greater risk posed to children when breastfeeding?
  
• If you’ve had a sexually transmitted disease you are at risk of developing HIV?
  
• Is HIV increasing in the community?
  
• Can AIDS be transferred only by bodily fluids?
  
• Can HIV be passed on by body fluids?
  
• Giving blood through “blood banks” it is safe to give and can’t give you the virus, having given 55 times I can assure you all.
  
• Transmission of HIV?
  
• Could HIV be passed to a person by eating with the same spoon or fork before washing?
  
• Can HIV be passed on by just touching?
  
• Blood transfusions, are they as safe as they used to be? ie transmission of Hep C, B, HIV
  
• Can you still become HIV positive through a blood transfusion?
  
• I read fairly recently that HIV infection is on the rise in the gay community. Is this the case and why?
  
• Does universal precaution cover us as workers?
  
• What precautions need to be taken when caring for people with HIV?
  
• Is HIV on the rise?
  
• How easily is HIV transmitted from person to care worker?

Treatment

• Are people living longer with HIV?
  
• What is the survival rate for those with HIV/AIDS?
  
• What is a good health programme for a person with HIV?
  
• AIDS, what is the future looking like cure wise?
  
• Leading current treatments?
  
• How meditation and relaxation relate to HIV. Becomes aware More cancer units keen to run such alternative choices. I have heard using lemon juice at intercourse will prevent
• HIV/AIDS in women. African myth or truth?
  
• What is the longest dormant period before symptoms appear?
  
• Where does the legislation on use of cannabis as a potential drug for the treatment of symptoms stand in relation to nurses assisting clients?
  
• The virus has in some individuals ceased to exist without treatment. Is this true?
  
• If so, do we know why?
  
• How does a case worker assist the client to access “medical” use cannabis?
  
• Current treatment?
  
• What is the longest period that someone has had HIV?
  
• How is research re: HIV going?
  
• Is HIV a death sentence?
  
• Once you have become infected, you can not delay or stop the deterioration process?
  
• Are there any new treatments for HIV/AIDS and how effective have they proved?
  
• What is the prognosis for people who have HIV currently?
  
• How are they treating HIV now?
  
• Is HIV still life threatening?
  
• How has treatment changed or improved?
  
• Do natural therapies aid, help or slow down the illness used in conjunction with traditional methods?
  
• How does someone with AIDS know they have it?
  
• Someone living with AIDS – how is this managed?
  
• I imagine people’s immune systems handle the HIV virus differently, and now treatments increase management of it, but are some people still dying or advancing rapidly to AIDS?

Children

• Any children with HIV, information on them and what do you do?
  
• How do I answer my children’s questions on AIDS?

Hepatitis C

• Does everyone with HIV have Hepatitis C and how does it affect them?

 

Home | The Project | Publications | Resources | Feedback | FAQs | Legal

© People with Disability Australia Incorporated. All rights reserved.     About Us | Contact Us