Criminalization of HIV: Ethical and Legal Issues for the Practice of Psychology in Canada

In 1998, nondisclosure of HIV-status was criminalized in Canada. This in turn has created potential mandatory reporting for psychologists working with persons living with HIV (PLWH) in cases invoking a duty to warn. A brief review of the literature indicates that, at least for some PLWH, this may create a catch-22: While PLWH are aware of the benefits of specific health behaviours (e.g., regular testing, mental health support), feared legal …