New Jersey's HIV exposure law and the HIV-related attitudes, beliefs, and sexual and seropositive status disclosure behaviors of persons living with HIV. Am J Public Health 2012 Nov;102(11):2135-40
Date
09/22/2012Pubmed ID
22994175Pubmed Central ID
PMC3477954DOI
10.2105/AJPH.2012.300664Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84867508270 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 39 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVES: We explored associations between awareness of New Jersey's HIV exposure law and the HIV-related attitudes, beliefs, and sexual and seropositive status disclosure behaviors of HIV-positive persons.
METHODS: A statewide convenience sample (n = 479) completed anonymous written surveys during 2010. We recruited participants through networks of community-based organizations in the state's 9 health sectors. The survey assessed participants' awareness of New Jersey's HIV exposure law, their sexual and serostatus disclosure behavior in the past year, and their HIV-related attitudes and beliefs. We compared responses of participants who were and were not aware of the law through univariate analyses.
RESULTS: Fifty-one percent of participants knew about the HIV exposure law. This awareness was not associated with increased sexual abstinence, condom use with most recent partner, or seropositive status disclosure. Contrary to hypotheses, persons who were unaware of the law experienced greater stigma and were less comfortable with positive serostatus disclosure.
CONCLUSIONS: Criminializing nondisclosure of HIV serostatus does not reduce sexual risk behavior. Although the laws do not appear to increase stigma, they are also not likely to reduce HIV transmission.
Author List
Galletly CL, Glasman LR, Pinkerton SD, Difranceisco WAuthors
Wayne J. DiFranceisco Research Scientist II in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinCarol L. Galletly JD, PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Laura R. Glasman PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Attitude to Health
Criminal Law
Female
HIV Infections
HIV Seropositivity
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
New Jersey
Self Disclosure
Sexual Behavior
Sexual Partners
Young Adult
