Bivariate analyses of prevalence of health outcomes by source of information about U = U, Positive Perspectives Study, 2019 (n=2389)
Domain | Characteristic | Overall (n=2389) | Completely unaware of U=U (n=296) | Aware of U=U from non-HCP sources (n=505) | Informed by HCP of U=U (n=1588) | P value |
Health indicators | Viral suppression | 74.1 | 56.4 | 76.0 | 76.8 | <0.001 |
Optimal overall health | 57.6 | 44.6 | 55.0 | 60.9 | <0.001 | |
Optimal mental health | 57.6 | 38.2 | 53.7 | 62.5 | <0.001 | |
Optimal physical health | 60.1 | 45.3 | 56.2 | 64.1 | <0.001 | |
Optimal sexual health | 48.6 | 41.2 | 44.6 | 51.3 | 0.001 | |
Attitudes and behaviours towards sharing HIV status | Comfortable sharing HIV status | 29.8 | 19.6 | 26.5 | 32.7 | <0.001 |
Would be anxious or stressed if others were to see their HIV medication | 45.8 | 51.0 | 50.3 | 43.3 | 0.004 | |
Ever hid or disguised their HIV medication within the past 6 months | 57.9 | 67.2 | 61.4 | 55.0 | <0.001 | |
Comfortable discussing ART-related privacy concerns with HCP | 52.0 | 34.8 | 45.5 | 57.2 | <0.001 | |
Comfortable discussing with HCP concerns about the safety of others/preventing transmission | 59.8 | 36.1 | 55.2 | 65.6 | <0.001 | |
Have always shared HIV status | 6.8 | 2.7 | 5.5 | 8.0 | 0.002 | |
Missed ART dose for 5+ times in past month because of privacy concerns | 4.3 | 8.8 | 5.5 | 3.0 | <0.001 | |
People shared HIV status with | Shared HIV status with nobody besides primary HIV care provider | 12.6 | 20.9 | 11.7 | 11.4 | <0.001 |
‘Most of the people in my life’ | 29.1 | 20.1 | 31.6 | 29.9 | 0.002 | |
Close friends | 71.1 | 56.4 | 73.9 | 72.9 | <0.001 | |
Parents, siblings and children | 68.1 | 60.2 | 67.4 | 69.8 | 0.006 | |
Co-workers | 33.9 | 27.5 | 39.0 | 33.4 | 0.007 | |
Wider family/circle of friends | 46.7 | 34.8 | 46.3 | 48.9 | 0.001 | |
Current family doctor not providing HIV care | 68.0 | 55.5 | 67.0 | 70.6 | <0.001 | |
Sexual partners | 61.1 | 50.9 | 62.0 | 62.5 | 0.005 | |
Other HCPs not providing HIV care | 60.5 | 48.4 | 62.8 | 62.0 | <0.001 | |
Partner/spouse/significant other | 75.8 | 69.3 | 75.8 | 77.2 | 0.025 | |
Reason for not sharing HIV status | They would see or treat me different | 58.6 | 47.6 | 62.0 | 59.6 | 0.0001 |
They might then disclose my HIV status to others | 51.8 | 48.3 | 54.7 | 51.6 | 0.210 | |
I might be excluded from activities | 38.1 | 40.2 | 39.2 | 37.4 | 0.565 | |
Being denied access to healthcare services | 18.1 | 18.2 | 24.0 | 16.2 | <0.001 | |
Being denied access to financial benefits | 17.7 | 20.3 | 17.8 | 17.1 | 0.427 | |
Might affect my friendships | 45.8 | 43.9 | 47.7 | 45.6 | 0.549 | |
I might lose my job | 33.9 | 34.5 | 37.6 | 32.6 | 0.115 | |
Might affect my romantic or sexual relationships | 37.3 | 27.0 | 39.2 | 38.7 | 0.001 | |
My physical safety/potential violence | 20.1 | 22.6 | 22.8 | 18.7 | 0.068 | |
Criminal prosecution | 10.1 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 9.9 | 0.899 |
The p-values shown are derived from global tests (Chi-square statistics) assessing whether at least two groups are significantly different.
ART, antiretroviral therapy; HCP, healthcare provider; U=U, undetectable equals untransmittable.