Age? 44
Race/Ethnicity? African American
Gender? Male
Sexual orientation? straight
Education Background? I attended South Shore High School in Brooklyn – graduated – High school diploma
General Background Questions
- What is your current living situation? Where/ Borough and region (For example Manhattan, Chelsea district) I live in a SRO (it’s housing for people with disabilities(mental illness and substance abuse disorders.) It is situated on Kingsbridge Road in the Bronx.
- What is your country of origin? In not born in US, when did you emigrate and under what circumstances? I was born in the United States and grew up in Brooklyn
- What is your employment status? I am not currently employed due to my disability. But previously held store jobs prior to my disability
- How did you first contact the disease? MSM/ IDU? From an ex-girlfriend
- When were you first diagnosed with HIV/AIDS? (Month, Year) I was diagnosed in 1993. I don’t remember the month.
- How long have you been living with the disease? I have been living with this disease for the past 14 years
- How many sexual partners have you had in your lifespan/ how often were you tested? I had numerous partners maybe more than 50./ Once yearly
- Prior to contacting the infection, how much did you know about the disease? I had a lot of information, but I did not think it would happen to me.
- If IDU, what certain drugs were you taking?
- Were you aware of the risks of those certain behaviors? Yes.
Specific Analysis Questions
- After being diagnosed were you required to notify your former sexual partners? Did you receive assistance with this from the Public Health Department? How were your partners contacted? Yes. I am not sure
- What medications are you currently receiving? (What’s the cost of the medications? How stable are you on your medications? Reyataz, Trivia, Epivir
- How often are you required to receive checkups from medical officials? Monthly
- What kind of support network do you receive, if any? (Family, friends, support group, religion) family and friends
- What was your initial reaction when first diagnosed with the disease? I was shocked.
- How has having HIV/AIDS affected your life/ how do the symptoms affect your daily life?(Fatigue, stress, immobility) It is very difficult to live with this disease, I am always stressed and tired most of the time.
- What programs are you currently involved in? I attend a Continuing Day Treatment Program daily and meet with my psychiatrist and medical doctor on a monthly basis.
- How was your adjustment to living with HIV/AIDS? Are you still adapting? I have adapted to living with AIDS and live one day at a time hoping that there would be better drugs to combat this disease.
- Have you ever been discriminated against based on having acquired the disease? No, because I have not told anyone, outside of my family and friends.
- Do you know of other individuals who have also contacted the disease? Yes
Assistance Based Questions
- What do you believe should be done to improve your situation? Presently, I am receiving plenty of support from my doctor and psychologist as well as from the residence where I live.
- What steps have you taken to get your life back on track?
I take my medication daily, I try to eat healthy and stay healthy
- Do you believe there is a problem within the system in regards to how individuals with HIV/AIDS are treated? No.
- How much assistance have you received from outreach programs? I have received plenty of assistance and support.
- If IDU, were you ever involved with needle exchange programs?
- How have you changed your lifestyle and sexual behaviors? I practice safe sex or no sex at all.
- Are you receiving any financial assistance to afford the cost of antiretroviral treatment? No. In my current situation I have Medicaid assistance which pays for my medication.
- At what stage were you diagnosed with HIV? Were testing clinics available with your population? In the beginning stage, yes, during my annual check up it was revealed to me because I was losing weight.
- If HIV was transmitted through sexual intercourse, was condom access highly available to you? Yes. I did not use them all the time.
- What care issues and challenges, if any, are you faced with? Are health care and treatment very low? / Do you have access to psychological and social support? Are there self-supported community initiatives that you attend? I have a medical doctor and I have psychological support. I see a psychiatrist on a monthly basis I also have a therapist that I see on a weekly basis