title: Social context of disclosing HIV test results in Tanzania.
abstract: This study sought to understand how individuals reveal their HIV test results to others and the ways in which social relations affect the disclosure process. The data were collected through open-ended interviews administered in Swahili to informants who had just been tested for HIV and to those who were living with HIV in Dar es Salaam and Iringa regions. Analysis shows that social relations influence the decisions individuals make about disclosure. Most people preferred to reveal their HIV status to close family members. Most also mentioned the fear of being rejected and discriminated against as major reasons for not disclosing their test results to others.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, USA. jlugalla@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lugalla
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoder
authors.forename: Huruma
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sigalla
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Madihi
mesh_terms: D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012938:Social Perception; D057545:Social Stigma; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013636:Tanzania