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Gay Peoples Chronicle

MOHICAN

'December 1985

from p. 1

of the test results. Dr. Leonard H. Calabrese, a local authority on AIDS and Head of Clinical Immunology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, reported in a letter read at the Mohican conference, "We now know that a positive test [in gay and bisexual men] is synonymous with viral infection-not past viral infection and immunity, but harboring the virus nearly 100% of the times."

Calabrese and others agree that testing positive does not imply that a person will ultimately develop AIDS. In fact, the most current evidence indicates that only 10% of the positives will actually develop the dis-

ease.

However, the same studies point out that a positive test does imply that a person is a carrier and therefore potentially contageous to others.

Those at Mohican who supported blanket test-taking for high-risk men did so largely because they believed that knowledge of the results (whether positive or negative) would lead to changes in behavior which would curb the spread of the disease. They felt that there is no better way to drive home the importance of safe sex than the knowledge of one's viral status. Ron Rucker, Coordinator of the Alternative Site in Cincinnati, said, "We are ethically oblidged to take the test and make decisions about our own sexual behavior based on what we as individuals have learned about our status from this test."

The rapid spread of the disease is creating a sense of urgency among policymakers at all levels. Based on national figures, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) estimates that at least 30-40,000 Ohioans are infected with the virus. At the meeting, Dr. Thomas Halpin, Assistant Director of ODH, stated that a primary way to slow the rising numbers is for gay

and bi-

OCT 111 45

Dr. Thomas Halpin explaining the position of The Ohio Department of Health

sexual men to be tested at the Alternative Sites. He said, "Individuals with positive tests will be motivated to not spread the virus to others." He added, "Those who test negative will be relieved and encouraged from there on out to protect themselves."

Those opposing blanket test-taking outlined several reasons. A represenative from the Cleveland Education/Testing Site said,

"People frequently come in to the Center convinced that this is a test for AIDS and that if they are positive they are on a certain path towards death." Although the Sites are staffed with counselors who attempt to correct that kind of inaccurate thinking, sometimes people are so shocked immediately after hearing a positive result that they don't hear anything beyond the word "positivě." A physi-

cian who sees referrals from the Columbus Test Site said,

Formal Statement

"When testing for HTLV-III became available through public health clinics throughout the state, the general consensus among the leadership of the gay community was to not take the test. Since the program was launched in April 1985, it has been demonstrated that the results of the test are reliable, a great majority of the people who have a positive test are infectious and able to transmit the virus, and anonymity has been carefully protected. Based on the above facts, our coallition believes that the Education/Testing Sites should continue and are the best place to go to make an informed decision on whether or not to take the test. The test is not for general screening of people and not everyone may benefit from taking the test. The coallition's support for the Education/Testing Sites is predicated on the guarantee by the Ohio Department of Health that there will be standardized testing procedures and confidential counselling at those Sites. coallition will work with the Ohio Department of Health to control the spread of the disease. In doing so, we are sensitive to many special issues related to this disease.

Our

"Unfortunately, people intest as being terpret the black or white. After learning that they are positive, some feel that they no longer have to worry about safe sex because they are already exposed." She added, "Negatives sometimes believe they can go out and have unsafe sex because they can't infect others." Others

at Mohican felt

example, said, "The one-oneducation going on at the Sites is far too slow to justify it being a major thrust for ODH."

Representatives from every major site except Cincinnati argued that their staffs were already overworked and ill-prepared to give adequate counselling, particufarly if the test was blanketly recommended.

Others were against blanket testing because the message should be the same irrespective of the test results. The message for

gay men is simply:

all

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(1) Safe sex 15 crucial, whether one is positive negative, ill of healthy, a virgin or a hustler;

(2) Purchase health and/or life insurance now, if at all possible;

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(3) Take special care yourself during this crisis. Whether someone is infected or not, they should avoid additional sexually transmitted diseases, drugs, and other factors which may depress the immune system. Such avoidance can be vital for maintaining good health for all individuals. Gay and bisexual men should behave as if they are positive for the virus.

If these messages could be

"We are ethically oblidged to take the test..." "Individuals with positive tests will be motivated to not spread the virus to others"

and

that because the test results can be confusing needlessly stress-provoking, gays should be advocating alternative methods of educating the community, other than testing. Howard Getz of the Dayton Coalition stated that the Alternative Sites may be the worst places to convert people to safe sex. He said, "The educating doesn't come across when you sandwich it with depressing test results." He stressed, "The education does work when it's in a very positive environment and you can say 'You can be

as sexual as,you want and

here's how....

Whereas some at Mohican felt the test could be used as an effective lure to attract people for safe sex education, others held this was a terribly inefficient and expensive method of education: After Dr. Halpin announced that ODH has plans to expand the Alternative Education/Testing Site program, some at Mohican voiced that the money could be used more effectively in mass education projects. Getz, for

effectively incorporated into the lives of gay and bisexual men without the added force of the blood test, then, participants at Mohican concluded, the blood test may be unnecessary. If, on the other hand, only the test result will motivate the individual to take these three steps, the test is worth considering. Theodore R. Wilson, a social worker and President of Health Issues Taskforce in Cleveland, said, said, "I always ask prospective test-takers,

What will you do with a positive test?' If it is destructive or suicidal, they shouldn't be taking the test." He added, "If they can handle it and hopefully use the information constructively, that's great."

There was consensus at Mohican that there are individuals who definately should not take the test because of their potential psychological reaction to a "positive" result. They agreed that gay and bisexual men must make the test-taking decision for themselves individually.