The largest survey to date of people living with HIV regarding attitudes toward criminalization of HIV non-disclosure, this study investigates: sources of legal information available to HIV-positive people; perceptions of how criminal prosecutions and media coverage affect understanding of rights and responsibilities of self and others; and where HIV-positive people themselves stand on the role the criminal justice system should play. While mainstream media constructions of criminal iconography do affect PHA views, those who have higher levels of formal education, are active in the dating scene, and have been living longer with HIV hold less punitive views than those who do not. While the overall pattern of agreement on where to draw the line in criminal prosecution holds regardless of demographic characteristics, there is some statistically significant variation in degree of punitiveness according to sexual orientation and gender as well.

This research examines obstacles faced by older people living with HIV in maintaining their significant social ties (family, friends) in the light of a double theoretical framework, inter-sectionality and the course of life. Favoring a qualitative methodology, this research is based on in-depth, semi-directed interviews with a diverse sample of 38 people living with HIV, aged 50-73 years. Analysis reveals that a significant proportion of participants have experienced ruptures or deterioration of close ties with intimates at the level of family or friends. The principal factors behind these difficulties are the past and present stigma associated with HIV and /or other social positions, long-term effects of HIV, issues related to aging and crosscutting effects of HIV and aging.

En este estudio se consideraron todos los pacientes con infección por VIH que se habían derivado a nuestro Servicio de Psiquiatría de Enlace entre octubre de 1992 y junio de 1994. Setenta pacientes recibieron evaluación psiquiátrica y valoración médica/neurológica. Cuarenta y siete de estos pacientes se sometieron también a examen cognitivo/ neuropsicológico por medio de la Evaluación Global de la Demencia de Milán (MODA). Los episodios depresivos, los trastornos de adaptación y el abuso de sustancias fueron los diagnósticos encontrados con más frecuencia. Tomando en consideración los datos neuropsicológicos, encontramos que los pacientes sintomáticos rendían peor en las pruebas que los asintomáticos.