title: When good news is bad news: psychological impact of false positive diagnosis of HIV.
abstract: HIV testing is known to be stressful, however the impact of false positive HIV results on individuals is not well documented. This is a series of four case who developed psychological difficulties and psychiatric morbidities after being informed they had been misdiagnosed with HIV-positive status. We look into documented cases of misdiagnosis and potential risks of misdiagnosis. The case series highlights the implications a false diagnosis HIV-positive status can have, even when the diagnosis is rectified. Impact of misdiagnosis of HIV can lead to psychosocial difficulties and psychiatric morbidity, have public health and epidemiological implications and can lead to medico-legal conflict. This further reiterates the importance of HIV testing carried out ethically and sensitively, and in line with guidelines, respecting confidentiality and consent, and offering counselling pre-test and post-test, being mindful of the reality of erroneous and false positive HIV test results. The implications of misdiagnosis are for the individual, their partners and social contacts, as well as for the community.
authors.affiliation: Charing Cross Psychiatric Training Scheme, London, UK. rahul.bhattacharya@nhs.net
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Catalan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003376:Counseling; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000009:adverse effects; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D014342:Truth Disclosure