HIV Positive Status Disclosure to Sexual Partners among Women Attending Art Clinic Hawassa Referral Hospital, Snnpr, Ethiopia
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Date
2008-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Disclosure of HIV status may lead to increased opportunities for social
support, to discuss and implement HIV risk reduction with partners and improved access to
treatment. Thus, status disclosure is major public health goal for HIV prevention &
treatment
Objective: Determine the magnitude and determinants of HIV sero-status disclosure to
sexual partners among women people living with HIV/AIDS at Hawassa Referral Hospital,
SNNPR.
Method: A Cross sectional survey was conducted among 384 HIV positive women who
had sexual partner and age 18 years attending ART clinic from March to April 2008.
Using a structured and pre-tested questionnaire, data were collected through patient
interview consecutively until the required number reached over one month period. Ethical
clearance from concerned bodies and informed consent from participants was obtained.
X2 tests, odds ratios and logistic regression were done to explore associations between
different variables and status disclosure.
Result: Overall 85.7% the women had disclosed their HIV positive status to their sexual
partners. The common barriers reported for non disclosure of HIV status were fear of
abandonment; fear of break-up in relationship and fear of stigma. The negative partner
reaction reported by those women who disclosed to sexual partner in this study was found
to be high (59.3%). Majority (77.9%) had sexual intercourse in the past 6 month. 9.1% of
the women were pregnant since they tested for HIV and condom was inconsistently used
by most of the women. Being married, taking ARV treatment for more than one year and
knowing the HIV status of the sexual partner were predictors of HIV positive status
disclosure.
Conclusion: Even though, the magnitude of HIV positive status disclosure to sexual
partner in this study is encouraging, negative partner reactions following disclosure were
reported by large proportion of women. Follow up counselling, couple counselling and
testing, integrating ART service to reproductive health service particularly F/P should be
emphasized in order to facilitate safe status disclosure and to address the sexual and
reproductive health needs of PLWHA’s.
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Keywords
HIV/AIDS, Disclosure of HIV