RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Disclosure of HIV status to sex partners and sexual risk behaviours among HIV-positive men and women, Cape Town, South Africa
JF Sexually Transmitted Infections
JO Sex Transm Infect
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 29
OP 34
DO 10.1136/sti.2006.019893
VO 83
IS 1
A1 L C Simbayi
A1 S C Kalichman
A1 A Strebel
A1 A Cloete
A1 N Henda
A1 A Mqeketo
YR 2007
UL http://sti.bmj.com/content/83/1/29.abstract
AB 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.