Warning Third Parties at Risk of AIDS: APA's Policy Is a Barrier to Treatment
Abstract
The American Psychiatric Association has adopted a policy stating that psychiatrists may warn third parties who are placed at risk by the behavior of a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The author argues that although the policy appears reasonable and has well-established precedent, the public will ultimately be better served if HIV-infected patients are assured absolute confidentiality. He contends that the Tarasoff decision is not directly applicable to most HIV-infected patients, that education alone will not be sufficient to deter some infected patients from placing others at risk, that additional psychiatric interventions will be necessary to reduce the high-risk behaviors of those individuals, and that APA's policy will prevent many from seeking treatment.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
