title: Disclosure amongst adult HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
abstract: HIV transmission is still a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa; disclosure is an effective tool for its prevention, contact tracing and treatment. We aimed to evaluate the disclosure behaviours of adult HIV-positive patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, and identify major challenges to disclosure in a bid to develop ways to improve this practice in the environment. Patients receiving ART in this centre were interviewed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. A total of 250 clients were interviewed over three months. A majority of the patients were tested on account of ill health 143 (57.2%). They commenced ART within 8 ± 15.4 SD months of presentation. The mean period before disclosure was 4.75 ± 12.8 SD months of diagnosis. Thirty-six (14.4%) of the respondents had not disclosed their HIV status; the major barrier to disclosure was stigmatisation in 19 (36%).
authors.affiliation: Haematology Unit, Pathology Department, Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria hannahomunakwe@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hannah E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Omunakwe
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okoye
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Chilota
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Efobi
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Maryanne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onodingene
authors.affiliation: Adult ART Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine; University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Sunny
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chinenye
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Chijioke A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Nwauche
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D030881:Disclosure; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners; D057545:Social Stigma; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014342:Truth Disclosure
keywords: AIDS; Africa; Disclosure; HIV; diagnosis; partner notification; sero-discordant