[Expert Solution]: A 51-year-old ex-inmate presents to his…

A 51-year-old ex-inmate presents to his general practitioner after being diagnosed with HIV at a free clinic a week ago. The patient had spent the last two years in prison and engaged in multiple unprotected sexual acts with fellow male inmates during that time. He is married with two children and has been paroled back to the home he shares with them. Neither the wife nor his children know of his diagnosis. The patient states that he is terrified his wife will leave him and possibly keep his children from seeing him if she finds out about his HIV status. He insists that he will use the proper precautions to ensure his wife and children don’t contract HIV from him and reiterates the importance of keeping his diagnosis a secret. The patient states, “They are all I have. If they leave me, I have no one.” Which of the following is the most appropriate response in this patient’s case? A. Honor the patient’s wishes and treat him without telling his wife or reporting him to the Department of Health B. Tell the patient you will honor his wishes, but report him to the Department of Health so they can tell his wife C. Obtain a court order to notify the patient’s wife D. Consult an ethics committee to determine whether or not to report him to the Department of Health Advise the patient that the positive diagnosis will be reported to the public health office and encourage him to have a discussion with his family