Disclosure among people living with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

The prevention and control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections depends on the success of strategies implemented to prevent new infections and to treat currently infected individuals. Voluntary HIV testing and counselling can serve both the goals by enabling healthy individuals to remain uninfected and those infected to plan their future and to prevent HIV transmission to others. Disclosure of the HIV status to ones sexual partner is an important prevention goal emphasized by the WHO and CDC in their protocols for HIV counselling and testing. Disclosure offers a number of important benefits to the infected individual and to the general public. Disclosure of HIV test results to ones sexual partner is associated with less anxiety and increased social support. In addition it may lead to improved access to HIV prevention treatment opportunities for risk reduction and planning for the future. Moreover risk behaviours change most dramatically among couples where both partners are aware of their HIV serostatus. It also enables couples to make informed reproductive health choices which may ultimately lower the number of unintended pregnancies among HIV/AIDS positive women. Among the risks of disclosure of HIV serostatus are loss of social economic and emotional support blame abandonment discrimination and disruption of family relationships. This leads to loss of opportunities for the prevention of new infections and the ability to access appropriate care treatment and support services. (excerpt)