title: Processes and outcomes of HIV serostatus disclosure to sexual partners among people living with HIV in Uganda.
abstract: Disclosure of HIV serostatus to sexual partners supports risk reduction and facilitates access to prevention and care services for people living with HIV/AIDS. To assess health and social predictors of disclosure as well as to explore and describe the process, experiences and outcomes related to disclosure of HIV-infected men and women in Eastern Uganda, we conducted a study among HIV-infected men and women who were clients of The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) in Jinja, Uganda. We enrolled TASO clients in a cross-sectional study on transmission risk behavior. Demographic and behavioral data and CD4 cell count measurements were collected. Among 1,092 participants, 42% were currently sexually active and 69% had disclosed their HIV serostatus to their most recent sexual partner. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that disclosure of HIV-status was associated with being married, having attended TASO for more than 2 years, increased condom use, and knowledge of partner's serostatus. From these clients, 45 men and women were purposefully selected and interviewed in-depth on disclosure issues. Positive outcomes included risk reduction behavior, partner testing, increased care-seeking behavior, anxiety relief, increased sexual communication, and motivation to plan for the future.
authors.affiliation: Global AIDS Program, CDC-Uganda, Kampala, Uganda. rking@prefa.or.ug
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Katuntu
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lifshay
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Packel
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Batamwita
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakayiwa
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abang
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Babirye
authors.forename: Pille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lindkvist
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mermin
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bunnell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology