Public disclosure of serostatus -- the impact on HIV-positive people

AIDS is steeped in moral judgments about who becomes infected with HIV. Consequently, an AIDS diagnosis inevitably brings with it feelings of shame, guilt, loss, depression, fear of disclosure and some form of self-imposed isolation. Because of the stigma of an HIV-positive diagnosis, people are often reluctant to come forward and be tested, which makes it difficult for them to make informed decisions about their own future and that of their family. Nevertheless, since early in the epidemic, people living with HIV/AIDS have spoken out to present their personal perspectives on living with HIV and to challenge perceptions about who can and cannot become infected. However, there has been little research to explore their role in the global response to AIDS and the impact of public HIV disclosure on the HIV-positive persons themselves.     

The impact of serostatus disclosure on spousal relationships between wives and HIV-positive husbands who have sex with men in China

ABSTRACT

This study explored the impact of serostatus disclosure on the spousal relationship between wives and their HIV-positive husbands who have had sex with men. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted in Sichuan, China in 2017 with wives (n = 31) who had known their husbands’ HIV-positive status. Participants were identified by local governmental and non-governmental organizations that provide routine services for people living with HIV and their family members. Qualitative data underwent a detailed content analysis. Both positive and negative impacts on the spousal relationship were expressed by wives. Six themes were identified: (1) reduced sexual activities; (2) changes in intimacy; (3) limited communication on HIV-related issues but improved communication on other topics; (4) increased instrumental support but decreased emotional support; (5) improved resilience in the spousal relationship; and (6) shared privacy management rules regarding HIV-positive status. Moreover, the acknowledgment of the husband’s homosexual behavior hurt the spousal relationship more seriously than the disclosure of the husband’s HIV-positive status, and irremediable marriages were observed among wives who knew both. Disclosure of HIV-positive status had a great impact on the spousal relationship, though such impact varied across individuals.     

The Law of Communicable Diseases Act and disclosure to sexual partners among HIV-positive youth

In Sweden, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is included among the venereal diseases covered by the Law of Communicable Diseases Act. HIV-positive (HIV(+)) people are required to inform their sexual partners about their infection and adopt safe sex behaviours. However, it is unclear how the law is perceived. This study explores how HIV(+) youth in Sweden perceive the law, handle their sexuality and disclose their HIV diagnosis to sexual partners. Ten HIV(+) women and men between 17 and 24 years of age were recruited from three different HIV infection clinics. These participants were interviewed in depth. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed according to a grounded theory approach. The core category-cultured to take responsibility-illuminates the informants' double-edged experiences regarding the law and how they handle disclosure to sexual partners. The legislation implies both support and burden for these HIV(+) youth; they feel that they have a great deal of responsibility, sometimes more than they can handle. 'Switch off lust', 'balancing lust, fear and obedience' and 'switch off the disease' are strategies that describe how the informants manage sexuality and disclosure. Young HIV(+) people have a difficult time informing partners of their HIV diagnosis and discussing safe sex strategies. These are challenges that health care providers need to take seriously. HIV(+) youth need better communication strategies to negotiate safer sex. Staff with extended education on sexuality should be a part of HIV health care.     

The Law of Communicable Diseases Act and disclosure to sexual partners among HIV-positive youth

In Sweden, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is included among the venereal diseases covered by the Law of Communicable Diseases Act. HIV-positive (HIV⁺) people are required to inform their sexual partners about their infection and adopt safe sex behaviours. However, it is unclear how the law is perceived. This study explores how HIV⁺ youth in Sweden perceive the law, handle their sexuality and disclose their HIV diagnosis to sexual partners. Ten HIV⁺ women and men between 17 and 24 years of age were recruited from three different HIV infection clinics. These participants were interviewed in depth. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed according to a grounded theory approach. The core category—cultured to take responsibility—illuminates the informants' double-edged experiences regarding the law and how they handle disclosure to sexual partners. The legislation implies both support and burden for these HIV⁺ youth; they feel that they have a great deal of responsibility, sometimes more than they can handle. ‘Switch off lust’, ‘balancing lust, fear and obedience’ and ‘switch off the disease’ are strategies that describe how the informants manage sexuality and disclosure. Young HIV⁺ people have a difficult time informing partners of their HIV diagnosis and discussing safe sex strategies. These are challenges that health care providers need to take seriously. HIV⁺ youth need better communication strategies to negotiate safer sex. Staff with extended education on sexuality should be a part of HIV health care.     

Men''s disclosure of HIV test results to male primary sex partners.

We evaluated disclosure of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody status to a main sex partner and the impact on the relationship in men who have sex with men and who are enrolled in the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Community Demonstration Projects cohorts. Eighty-nine percent of both seronegative and seropositive men disclosed the results to their main sex partner. Seventy percent of the seronegative men and 82% of the seropositive men who did so reported that the relationship remained "as strong as ever" after 6 months. Most men who did not disclose their test results to their main partner reported being "single" after 6 months.     

Self-disclosure of a HIV-positive serostatus: factors favoring disclosure and consequences for persons living with HIV/AIDS in Burkina Faso

Disclosure of HIV-serostatus remains a way to avoid sexual transmission of HIV because it allows partners to take the necessary protective measures, e.g. use of condoms. Disclosure is nevertheless difficult due to the discrimination associated with HIV. The objective of this study was to analyze factors leading to self-disclosure of HIV-positive status within a sample of persons of both sexes attending different healthcare services in Burkina Faso.MethodologyCross-sectional study conducted by interviewing 740 patients in 26 healthcare services. Univariate (Chi² test) and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses were performed. The significance level was 5%. Qualitative data on factors associated with self-disclosure of HIV-positive status were analyzed.ResultsThe majority of the patients (81.4%) informed at least one person who was very often a close relative (descendant, ascendant and sibling) or the partner. At multivariate analysis, HIV-serostatus was associated with using antiretroviral treatment, (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.3–0.7, P < 0.001), known HIV-serostatus for at least one year (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4–0.9), living in couple (2.3; 95% CI: 1.4–3.8).ConclusionIn a context limiting HIV testing due to the fear of social stigma, these results appear to be in favor of the Voluntary Counseling Testing model with a focus on the couple and/or families.     

Patterns of disclosure among youth who are HIV-positive: a multisite study

PurposeDisclosure of serostatus is critical in preventing the transmission of HIV among youth. The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe serostatus disclosure in a multisite study of youth living with HIV.MethodsThis study investigated serostatus disclosure and its relationship to unprotected sex among 146 youth participating in a multisite study of young people living with HIV who were sexually active within the past 3 months.ResultsForty percent of participants reported a sexual relationship with a partner to whom they had not disclosed their serostatus. Participants with multiple sexual partners were less likely to disclose their serostatus than those with one partner. Disclosure was more frequent when the serostatus of the sexual partner was known. Disclosure was not associated with unprotected sex.ConclusionsPrevention initiatives should focus on both disclosure and condom use in this high-risk population, particularly for youth with multiple sexual partners.     

Examining HIV-positive parents' disclosure to their children: a biopsychosocial approach

In the post HAART era, the biopsychosocial issues now facing HIV-positive parents concerning disclosure of their status to their children need to be understood in the context of chronic disease. This article describes the experiences of 101 adult HIV-positive urban in-treatment mothers and fathers of school-age children on disclosure, psychological distress, social support, and symptom severity. Key variables associated with parents' HIV disclosure were the age of parent and of children in the household, parents' HIV-related symptoms, and parent ethnicity. Cultural and maturational, rather than psychological or social factors were significantly related to parents' HIV disclosure.     

Unprotected anal intercourse among HIV-positive men who have a steady male sex partner with negative or unknown HIV serostatus

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the prevalence and predictors of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among HIV-positive men who have a single steady male partner with negative or unknown HIV serostatus. METHODS: We analyzed behavioral surveillance data from HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) interviewed in 12 states between 1995 and 2000. RESULTS: Of 970 HIV-positive MSM who had a single steady male sex partner with negative or unknown serostatus, 278 (29%) reported UAI during the previous year. In a subset of 674 men who were aware of their infection, 144 (21%) had UAI. Among the men who were aware of their infection, factors found to be predictive of UAI in multivariate modeling were heterosexual self-identification, crack cocaine use, no education beyond high school, and a partner with unknown serostatus. CONCLUSIONS: Even after learning of their infection, one fifth of HIV-positive MSM who had a single steady male partner with negative or unknown serostatus engaged in UAI, underscoring the need to expand HIV prevention interventions among these men.     

Female condom: a possibility for autonomy in HIV-positive women

In this article, the authors report an experience developed in the Specialized Care Sevice on STD/AIDS from Porto Alegre, where one of them works. It approaches adult women, emphasizing sexuality, reproduction and vulnerability concerning STDs, mainly HIV infection. The methodology used is a data survey starting from the return to the service in order to receive female condoms within one year. Subjects are HIV-positive women linked to the service. Results show that the use of this method is incipient and that its adoption demands a change in behaviour from women already in an early stage of their development, prior to adult age, and that there is a huge importance of raising awareness among professionals, either in Education or Health fields.     

The consequences of disclosure: one hospital's response to the presence of an HIV-positive physician

Health care administrators are having to confront the many and complex problems associated with patient fears about the transmissibility of the HIV virus. Particularly acute are concerns that are raised when the physicians are HIV-positive or have AIDS. This article presents a case history of how one hospital handled the problems created by the announcement by one of its emergency room physicians that he was HIV-positive. The hospital's response--which included disclosure to the community, the full cooperation of the physician, provision of free counseling, and HIV testing--and the aftermath of this AIDS-related event are described. This case is discussed in relationship to the ongoing debate about the ethics and consequences of disclosure of the HIV status of health care workers.