What are partner counseling and referral services (PCRS) and how are they carried out?
The goals of PCRS are to provide services to sex and needle-sharing partners of HIV-infected individuals and to help partners gain access to individualized counseling, testing, medical evaluation, treatment, and other prevention services. It is a means of alerting individuals who may not know they have been exposed to HIV through sexual contact or needle-sharing practices to the possible need for testing and medical services. It also is a means of reaching individuals early in the disease process so they are able to more quickly take advantage of new therapies for treatment of HIV infection and opportunistic infections. Prevention education and risk reduction services are also important for those exposed to HIV to help prevent further spread in the community. Partners may be notified either by the individual who has been diagnosed with HIV, by his or her health care provider, or by a health professional from the health department. HIV infected persons do not have to reveal their partne
Related Questions
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- What are partner counseling and referral services (PCRS) and how are they carried out?
