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Note: Guest Opinions are added to this page on an intermittent basis. How private? Concerns over new state HIV reporting plan are real, and could make the situation worse The (Coos Bay) World Monday marked the first day of Oregon's new plan to collect the names of people who test positive for HIV and despite reassurances from health officials, there is great concern about protecting patients' privacy. The broader information will be used to chart HIV infection rates. The state argues that more patient data is necessary to get a clearer picture about AIDS' impact in Oregon. There are safeguards in place. Information about patients will be encoded and the code for patients will be in one computer accessible to only a few state officials. The computer won't be connected to the Internet or any other computers and after the state has compiled its reports or within 90 days, names will be permanently deleted from state databases. Safeguards and assurances aside, many HIV-infected Oregonians and those who work with them are dubious and concerned. They fear bureaucratic snafus could lead to breaches of confidentiality in a society that still is fearful and judgmental about AIDS. Only time will tell if the measures in place will be adequate to protect the patients' privacy. Meanwhile, of course, the other concern is that the state's steps to broaden its AIDS demographics will do just the opposite. Oregonians, especially those who live in rural parts of the state where protecting their privacy is already a challenge, may opt to avoid testing altogether rather than risk exposure. It may be that in its push to learn more about AIDS in Oregon, the state may end up exacerbating this serious public health concern. Make them pay The (Klamath Falls) Herald and News Any hiker with a lick of sense knows you don't go to the summit of Mount Shasta, in late September, wearing blue jeans. Late-season hikes are tough. They require the right equipment. The hiker who spent two days last week wandering around the volcano wasn't even close to being well-prepared. In the mountains, cotton is dangerous clothing. When it gets wet, it stays soggy and holds moisture close to the body. Then, when the wind blows, the effect is like hiking with an air conditioner around your body. Cold, wet air flows around the body, carrying away the heat of metabolism faster than it can be generated. Hypothermia is the result. Siskiyou County officials have the authority to charge hikers who must be rescued for the expense of the rescue. Seldom do they impose the charge. They fear that if hikers know a call for help will result in a substantial cost, they will be less likely to call for help, resulting in deaths. Its a tough call. But in this case, its a no-brainer, literally. The authorities should present a bill to the hiker. People who behave stupidly in the wilderness ought to pay for their stupidity. |
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