College Axia Material
Appendix G
Case Study: Gayle and Patrick
Read the following case study about Gayle and Patrick. You may also click on the Audio:
Thinking It Over if you prefer to listen to the case study. After reviewing the case study,
answer the questions on below.
Gayle and Patrick have been in a monogamous marriage for seven years. During a medical
checkup, Gayle finds that she is HIV positive. Because she has not been sexually
active outside her marriage and has never injected drugs, received a blood
transfusion, or been hospitalized, she is quite certain that Patrick must have
infected her. When she calls the local health clinic to discover if Patrick has been
tested for HIV, they tell her that this information is confidential. She does not
want to confront Patrick for fear that he may not be infected and she will have to
explain her own infection.
Audio: Thinking It Over
This is a difficult situation for Gayle to find herself in. She has to deal with two very large issues
she's infected with a life-threatening virus and she's living with doubt and fear about her
partner. Since she's quite certain he transmitted the virus to her, he most likely is infected. How
did he become infected? In what behavior did he participate that put him at risk, and eventually
put her at risk as well? Why didn't he tell her about it? Why didn't he have himself tested to make
sure he was HIV-free? Most people in such cases would be angry with their partners. But Gayle
is holding out that there's a possibility that Patrick isn't infected. Now she has to deal with the
issue of disclosing this news to Patrick and confronting him with the questions. This is not
something she needs to be dealing with right now. What could Patrick and Gayle have done to
ensure each other's safety? What would have been the responsible thing to do?
1. What do you think Gayle should do?
Gayle should definitely talk with Patrick about the situation. I feel that the chances of
Patrick not being currently infected slim. are Gayle and Patrick have been together for
seven years. Since for seven years of their relationship, they were not aware of the
disease more than likely they were having unprotected sex. Regardless of whether
Patrick has the disease or not, Gayle has an obligation to talk with her partner.
2. What might you do in a similar situation?
It would definitely be devastating but I would let my partner know of the test results. After
all, this is not a disease that you can take a pill and it will go away. This is a very serious
matter and lives are at stake. It would be difficult but I would let my partner know to get
tested or find out if he knew all along.
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3. What laws does your state have regarding partner notification for HIV, AIDS, and other
sexually transmitted infections?
In searching the Missouri law about partner notification I found the following from a state
valid site:
http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c100-199/1910000677.htm
The statute basically states that if you willfully infect or attempt to infect someone with the HIV
virus by means of:
(2) Act in a reckless manner by exposing another person to HIV without the knowledge
and consent of that person to be exposed to HIV, in one of the following manners:
(a) Through contact with blood, semen or vaginal secretions in the course of oral, anal or
vaginal sexual intercourse; or
(b) By the sharing of needles; or
(c) By biting another person or purposely acting in any other manner which causes the
HIV-infected person's semen, vaginal secretions, or blood to come into contact with the
mucous membranes or nonintact skin of another person.
You will face a class B felony or a class A felony. If the victim actually contracts HIV
from another persons reckless manner, the charge is a Class A felony. In the state of
Missouri a Class A felony is punishable by life and/or 25 years in prison.
As for other sexually transmitted diseases, I could not find a specific law in the state of
Missouri that would apply.
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