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Special issues for drug users
| Last updated: 18.06.04 |
It is important to use clear understandable language; it may be helpful for the client to have the result written down for them.
Is your client too stoned or drunk to be able to take in the information? Would it be better to reschedule the counselling to another day? Clients may use drugs or alcohol as 'Dutch courage' to find out their result, and it will be difficult to refuse to give them their result.
Remember to reinforce harm reduction techniques both as a response to a negative or a positive result (e.g. to remain negative or to protect one's health). Again reinforce the client's own harm reduction strategies.
Be aware that drug users' primary concerns may not be around their health status and they may be initially resistant to the medical care you recommend to them.
The client will need to be reminded that a negative result does not mean they are immune to HIV infection.
For many people the information given to them during a counselling situation may be complicated and confusing, compounded by nervousness and drug or alcohol related factors. It is often helpful to reinforce verbal information by writing or drawing key points or through the use of a leaflet.
Many clients will use drugs as a result of either a negative or positive result. It is valuable to discuss how to manage this celebratory or commiseratory 'hit'. There are reports of higher accidental death among people with HIV which may be a result of people living more recklessly. The time immediately after a result is a particularly vulnerable time.
The result of an HIV test may motivate some drug users to reconsider their drug use. This may be to increase or reduce their use of drugs. For example, some drug users who test positive may see this as an opportunity to stop using, whereas others will see no point in going through the pain of stopping. It is unlikely that someone will embark on a definitive course of action immediately after receiving a test result.
Drug users who test negative may need advice about where they can access benefits and support outside of HIV services. Some drug users will have a number of friends who are HIV positive, and may experience some of the feelings of `survivor guilt' described for gay men (see Special issues for gay men, above).