Ethically providing Routine HIV testing services to bereaved populations

Abstract

Background:: The delivery of public health policies may be in conflict with individualism.

Objectives:: To propose measures to ethically provide routine HIV testing services to persons visiting a funeral home.

Research design:: A document analysis of study documents and presentations made to an institutional review board.

Participants and research context:: Institutional review board members (both lay and professionals) and Study investigators attending an `open session' where study investigators were invited to elaborate on some study procedures.

Ethical considerations:: Identities of all parties were anonymized.

Findings:: Opt-out approaches to HIV testing, grief counseling, relational ethics, and a modular consenting process were proposed to safeguard clients' autonomy. The golden-rule approach and protective empowering were suggested to protect clientele beneficence.

Discussion and conclusion:: It is possible to ethically provide universal HIV testing and counseling services among grieving populations in this setting; elsewhere, this should be contextualized.