Helpers, Gatekeepers and the Well-Intentioned: The Mixed Blessings of HIV/AIDS Info(r)mediation in Rural Canada

Abstract

In Canada, an estimated 58,000 people live with HIV/AIDS, with approximately 2,300–4,500 new infections occurring each year (Boulos et al., 2006). Although HIV/AIDS has primarily affected men who have sex with men and injection drug users, an increasing number of women and Aboriginal people are becoming infected (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2006). In recent years, combination drug therapies have revolutionized HIV/AIDS treatment and reduced AIDS-associated morbidity and mortality (Schanzer, 2003; Palella et al., 2006). Unfortunately, however, these therapies do not cure HIV and the demanding requirements of treatment regimes, drug side-effects and potential co-infections mean that people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) face considerable challenges (Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange, 2003). As a result, access to accurate, up-to-date treatment information is an essential resource for PHAs and their care-givers, as they make health decisions and provide HIV-related support. Information about HIV transmission is also important for the general public, as individuals make decisions about risk-related behaviours (Johnson et al., 2003).