title: Sociocultural factors influencing HIV disclosure among men in South Africa.
abstract: In South Africa, more than 2 million people living with HIV are men aged 15 years and older, and heterosexual intercourse remains the predominant mode of HIV transmission. Knowledge of the sociocultural factors that influence men's decisions about whether, when, or how to disclose seropositive status remains incompletely understood. Using the PEN-3 cultural model as a guide, this study explored the sociocultural factors influencing HIV disclosure among men in South Africa. Four focus group discussions with 27 participants were used to determine the perceptions, enabling and nurturing factors that influence how men chose to reveal or conceal knowledge of their seropositive status. The results revealed that notions of male identity in the South African context, family, and community factors contribute to disclosure and nondisclosure of seropositive status among men living with HIV/AIDS. Future interventions should work to address these factors, as they are necessary with supporting disclosure among men living with HIV.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA jiwez@illinois.edu.
authors.forename: Juliet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iwelunmor
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Yewande
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sofolahan-Oladeinde
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Collins O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Airhihenbuwa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005195:Family Relations; D017144:Focus Groups; D005783:Gender Identity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015995:Prevalence; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012923:Social Class; D057545:Social Stigma; D012944:Social Support; D066252:Sociological Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV/AIDS disclosure; culture; men living with HIV/AIDS