Partner HIV Status Disclosure and Serodiscordant Couples Rates Among Infected Adults in an Urban Community in South-East Nigeria: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background and aim: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a global pandemic, with sub-Saharan Africa contributing to the majority of cases of HIV. There have been various challenges towards the treatment and prevention of HIV infection in our environment, and these include; low uptake of voluntary counselling and testing, high discrimination rate, and non-disclosure of a positive status to sexual partners. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of partner disclosure of seropositive status amongst HIV-infected adults and the serodiscordant rate amongst sexual partners. Materials and methods: An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from 380 HIV-infected adults aged 18 years and above. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize obtained data. Multiple logistic regression was done to show predictors of disclosure. P-value. Results: The prevalence of partner disclosure of HIV positive status was 91.8%, and the serodiscordant rate was 38.9%, with 52.4% of participants having a positive partner and 8.7% being unaware of their partner's status. Marital status and knowledge of partner's HIV status were significantly associated with disclosure. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence rate of partner disclosure of HIV status amongst infected participants in our environment. Couple counselling should be encouraged to allow for mutual disclosure. Also, counselling on the importance of partner disclosure of status should be intensified, especially among unmarried persons, while efforts should be made to reduce the stigmatization rate.