Letter From the Editor

For many people with HIV, their relationship with their healthcare provider is as intimate as any relationship in their lives. Mutually respectful, honest, and thoughtful communication between a patient and his or her healthcare provider is one of the most important keys to success in dealing with HIV. Beside yourself, your provider is often your best ally in your struggle with HIV. Numerous studies have shown that many of those individuals with HIV living particularly healthy lives have excellent relationships with healthcare providers who they trust.

Learning how to interact productively with your provider is an important but not necessarily easy skill to master. In the past, doctors generally told their patients what to do, and the patients usually followed directions without question. Today, thanks to the efforts of people with HIV over the years and the work of the women's health movement before that, many patients are more actively involved in their medical care -- and staying healthier than ever as a result.

This issue of ACRIA Update focuses on the relationships between individuals and their healthcare providers. We thank the writers who have shared their personal experiences -- the good, the bad, and ugly -- as well as the healthcare providers who have been willing to offer their perspectives. We hope that some of the tips included in these pieces will help you to develop a more productive relationship with your provider or, if necessary, help you move on and find a provider with whom you connect.