HIV-positive persons' awareness and understanding of their state's criminal HIV disclosure law.

Commentary on the potential impact of HIV-specific disclosure laws on persons living with HIV has been critical, plentiful, and enduring. Yet empirical information with which to answer even the most basic questions about these laws, such as whether HIV-positive persons living in a state with a disclosure law are aware of the law, is absent. This study reports on data gathered from a statewide sample of 384 HIV-positive persons living in a state with an HIV disclosure law. Participant awareness and understanding of the law were assessed. Data on the sources from which participants received information on the law and the perceived helpfulness of these sources were also collected. Analyses were conducted to identify associations between participant awareness or understanding of the law and demographic characteristics of participants or information sources encountered. The majority of participants were aware that their state had enacted an HIV-specific disclosure law. Understanding of the law was good, although there was substantial confusion over several provisions. The most prevalent and most helpful sources of information on the law were AIDS-related resources as opposed to mass media. Forty-two percent of the participants learned about the law when first diagnosed with HIV. Sixty-two percent of the participants reported that their case manager had told them about the law.