Reporting HIV and AIDS-Who needs to know what?

In an effort to determine how many patients with AIDS there are in the United States, patients with an AIDS diagnosis are reported to State Health Departments. Florida Statutes require that persons testing positive for HIV be reported as well. If you have a confidential positive HIV test performed after July 1, 1997, your information will be reported.

You will also be asked to share names and descriptions of any sexual and IV drug use contacts that you may have been reluctant to tell of your HIV positive status. When these people are contacted, they will not be told who named them. It is Florida law that people who are positive for HIV must inform a prospective sexual partner of their HIV positive status before having sex with that partner. We will recommend a referral to a counselor to help you with this issue.