The aim of this study was to explore the
perspectives of health care providers on voluntary
counseling and testing (VCT) patients for human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or counseling those living
with the virus. Semi-structured interviews were conducted
with 12 Tanzanian HIV counselors in different health service
clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The interviews were
analyzed using a qualitative method. Three themes emerged
from the interviews: a person-centered approach is necessary
to build trusting relationships to negotiate for behavioral
change; challenges in the variations in counseling sessions as
well as the maintenance of confidentiality; and the
Confidentiality requirement for privacy and disclosure only
with the patient/client's consent. The health care providers,
who all had considerably long experiences of VCT, showed
confidence in the counseling situation and were aware of the
many challenges and barriers they encountered at work as a
counselor. They stressed that the basis for creating a trusting
relationship between a counselor and a patient was a
person-centered approach. Patient confidentiality was an
important factor in the counseling work, but confidentiality
could also be a challenge and dilemma to protect both the
patient and sexual partners at risk, and this should be taken
into consideration in counseling guidelines.