Hawai‘i State Department of Health

Information for People in Hawai‘i Living with HIV

HIV Medical Management Services

If you are living with HIV, accessing medical care is extremely important. Knowing that you have HIV and getting into medical care even before you have any symptoms can help to maintain your health for a long time. If you do not have a doctor or if you do not have health insurance, an HIV case manager can help. In addition, the Hawai‘i Department of Health provides HIV medical management services to help you and your doctor monitor and maintain your health. These services include medical check-ups, laboratory tests, medications and continuation of private health insurance that you may be able to get at no cost. These services are provided through three programs: the Hawai‘i Seropositivity & Medical Management Program (HSPAMM), the HIV Drug Assistance Program (HDAP), and the Hawai‘i Insurance Continuation Program (H-COBRA). More information on HIV Medical Management Services.

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HIV Case Management & Supportive Services

The Hawai‘i Department of Health partners with AIDS Service Organizations in the community to provides case management services to people living with HIV. If you, your spouse/partner, or someone in your family has HIV and needs assistance or support in accessing services, contact the AIDS Service Organization on your island and talk to their case management staff. More Information on HIV Case Management.

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HIV Prevention

People living with HIV sometimes have unique prevention needs. The Hawai‘i Department of Health's Prevention for Positives (P4P) program supports people living with HIV to protect their partners from HIV and maintain their own overall health. If you have HIV and need support in protecting your partners, contact the AIDS Service Organization on your island to talk to their P4P staff.

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Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

For people living with HIV, acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (STD) can have serious impact on their health. Syphilis, for example, can be harder to treat and may progress faster in people with HIV, and Syphilis appears to increase HIV viral load and decrease T-cells. In addition, STDs make it much easier to transmit HIV to others. Sexually active people living with HIV should be tested regularly for STDs. Talk to you doctor about getting tested, or get tested through Hawai‘i Department of Health STD Clinical Services. If you enroll in HSPAMM, you will be tested for Syphilis at each visit.

For more information on HIV and syphilis co-infection, click here.

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Viral Hepatitis (Hepatitis A, B, C)

Viral hepatitis refers to a group of viruses that affect the liver. The most common are hepatitis A, B and C. People living with HIV should be vaccinated against hepatitis A and B and tested for hepatitis C.

Vaccination against hepatitis A and B: If you have HIV, getting vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B may help to keep you healthy. If you do not have health insurance and cannot afford to get vaccinated through your doctor, you may be able to get vaccinated through the Viral Hepatitis Education and Prevention Program.

Screening for hepatitis C: If you have HIV, it is important to know whether you also have hepatitis C so that your doctor can treat you for both conditions. If you enroll in HSPAMM services, you will be screened for hepatitis C on your first visit. If you are at high risk for hepatitis C and may have been exposed to hepatitis C since your first HSPAMM visit (or are not enrolled in HSPAMM), you may be able to get tested through the Viral Hepatitis Education and Prevention Program.

Co-infection: If you have HIV and hepatitis B or C, talk to your doctor about your best options for treating and managing both diseases. In people who are coinfected, HIV seems to speed up the progression of hepatitis B and C and increase the risk of advanced liver disease such as cirrhosis (scarring), liver cancer, or liver failure. Hepatitis B or C does not seem to speed up the progression of HIV, but because the liver processes medications used to treat HIV, your HIV treatment choices might be affected.

For more information on viral hepatitis, click here.

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HIV and Its Treatment: What You Should Know

The U .S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has developed fact sheets about HIV treatment for people recently diagnosed with HIV infection or those who are considering starting HIV treatment. Download the fact sheets or look at the DHHS website: AIDSinfo.

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Confidentiality

Information about your HIV status is protected under state law.

Any person or institution who illegally discloses someone’s HIV status can be subject to civil fines of $1,000 to $10,000 for each violation.

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