Acceptance and disclosure of HIV status through an integrated community/home-based care program in South Africa.
OBJECTIVE
To report the outcome of a comparative study among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) served by an integrated community/home-based care (ICHC) programme and those who are not in any home-based care programme in terms of acceptance and disclosure of the HIV status.


BACKGROUND
One of the major challenges in HIV/AIDS care in developing countries is acceptance and disclosure of a positive HIV status by PLWHAs. Denial and non-disclosure of HIV status hinders prevention efforts as well as access to treatment, care and support for PLWHAs.


METHODS
Quantitative data were collected in 2004 from a group of PLWHAs served by the ICHC programme and a group that was not receiving any community/home-based care. Data were compared between the two groups in terms of acceptance and disclosure of HIV status.


RESULTS
The ICHC was effective in improving acceptance and disclosure of the HIV-positive status by PLWHAs in the programme. PLWHAs in the ICHC programme did not find disclosure of their status difficult, and had disclosed their positive HIV status to more people than those who are not in any programme. PLWHAs in the ICHC programme not only disclosed their positive HIV status within their family network and households, but also disclosed to the community in general, sports group, religious groups and other social networks.


CONCLUSIONS
Community/home-based care programmes can serve as catalysts for acceptance and disclosure of a positive HIV status by PLWHAs.
Ncama
B P
BP
School of Nursing, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. ncamab@ukzn.ac.za
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003219:Confidentiality; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure