Disclosure of HIV status to sex partners and sexual risk behaviours among HIV-positive men and women, Cape Town, South Africa

• Published in: Sexually transmitted infections Vol. 83; no. 1; pp. 29 - 34
• Main Authors: Simbayi, L C, Kalichman, S C, Strebel, A, Cloete, A, Henda, N, Mqeketo, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01-02-2007; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; AIDS; antiretroviral; ARV; Biological and medical sciences; Contact Tracing; Disclosure; Drug use; Female; General aspects; HIV; HIV Seropositivity - ethnology; HIV Seropositivity - psychology; HIV/AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; people living with HIV/AIDS; PLWHA; Prejudice; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Sexual behavior; Sexual Partners - psychology; Sexually transmitted diseases; South Africa; STD; Truth Disclosure; Unsafe Sex - psychology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Women; South Africa; Africa; Cape Town South Africa; South Africa, Western Cape, Cape Town; Human; Immunopathology; Sexual behavior; Retroviridae; Male; AIDS; Risk taking; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Infection; Virus; Sexually transmitted disease; Viral disease; Sex partner; Female; Human immunodeficiency virus; Woman
• ISSN: 1368-4973; 1472-3263
• DOI: 10.1136/sti.2006.019893

Background: The HIV epidemic continues to amplify in southern Africa and there is a growing need for HIV prevention interventions among people who have tested HIV positive. Methods: Anonymous surveys were completed by 413 HIV-positive men and 641 HIV-positive women sampled from HIV/AIDS services; 73% were <35 years old, 70% Black African, 70% unemployed, 75% unmarried, and 50% taking antiretroviral treatment. Results: Among the 903 (85%) participants who were currently sexually active, 378 (42%) had sex with a person to whom they had not disclosed their HIV status in the previous 3 months. Participants who had not disclosed their HIV status to their sex partners were considerably more likely to have multiple partners, HIV-negative partners, partners of unknown HIV status and unprotected intercourse with non-concordant sex partners. Not disclosing their HIV status to partners was also associated with having lost a job or a place to stay because of being HIV positive and feeling less able to disclose to partners. Conclusions: HIV-related stigma and discrimination are associated with not disclosing HIV status to sex partners, and non-disclosure is closely associated with HIV transmission risk behaviours. Interventions are needed in South Africa to reduce the AIDS stigma and discrimination and to assist people with HIV to make effective decisions on disclosure.