Choosing who you may want to tell that you are HIV positive, including family and friends, can be a very difficult decision for many people. In deciding who to tell you might find it useful to think about who you can trust with the information that you are HIV positive, as well as if they will offer you support and respect your confidentiality.

You do not have to disclose your HIV status to your friends, your employer or your work colleagues. You also do not have to disclose your HIV status to every doctor, dentist or other health professional. It is wise however, to tell health professionals you are seeing for other conditions that you are positive so that they have a clear picture and can help you make decisions about your health.

There is no easy way to tell your partner, or partners, and no set rules – regardless of your partner’s HIV status. It can help to have a counsellor who is experienced in working with HIV issues available to help you when and if you decide to tell your partners.

Although you are not obliged to tell anyone your status, the law may require you to tell people under certain circumstances. In some states, you are legally required to tell any sexual partner, even if you intend to have safe sex. These laws vary from state to state so it’s best to check with your local Legal Aid Centre or AIDS council to see how laws in your particular state might impact on your decision, especially given that some cases of non-disclosure have ended up in court.

You can contact legal assistance organisations such as the HIV/AIDS Legal Centre (HALC) or Legal Aid organisations, or your AIDS council or PLHIV organisation for help or more information about disclosure of your HIV status.