The Potential Public Health Effects of a Police Announcement About HIV Nondisclosure: A Case Scenario Analysis

Abstract

In May 2010, a local police force released the details of an HIV-transmission-related criminal investigation. This involved the publication of the name and photograph of, and charges against a man who the police allege did not disclose his HIV status prior to engaging in sexual activities that pose a “significant risk” for HIV transmission. Presently, however, there are no public health analyses of this situation. Consequently, the available literature on Canadian criminal laws, HIV transmission within this jurisdiction, and HIV prevention are presented and discussed herein. The outcome of this analysis is the conclusion that the act of publicizing an HIV-related criminal investigation more likely inhibits than encourages STI/HIV testing among HIV-negative and HIV-positive men who have sex with men. It is the assertion here that this undertaking thus conflicts with the overall public health goals of HIV prevention, and should likely not occur in the future.

Keywords

criminalization men who have sex with men HIV transmission public health

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