Disclosure of HIV Status and Social Support Among People Living With HIV.
BACKGROUND
Disclosure of HIV is important for improving self-care behaviors, psychological well-being, commitment to the treatment, and reducing risk of transmission. One of the major benefits of disclosure is social support, which is an essential resource for effective coping with HIV infection. However, receiving any social support requires disclosing of HIV status.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to determine the disclosure of HIV status and its related factors such as social support in addition to demographic and disease characteristics among people living with HIV in Iran.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study, using simple random sampling, was carried out on 175 people with HIV/AIDS who referred to Behavioral Counseling Centers. The self-administrated, Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire was used to measure social support. Disclosure of HIV status was assessed with an investigator-designed questions. Multiple logistic regression analysis with backward Likelihood Ratio method was applied to identify the adjusted odds ratio between disclosure as dependent variable and demographic variables, social support as independent variables.


RESULTS
Participants were often disclosed their HIV status to family members. But there were differences about disclosure of HIV status within the context of the family. Family members were perceived as more supportive. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrates that the gender (adjusted OR = 0.181; 95% CI .068-0.479), CD4 cell count (adjusted OR = 0.997; 95% CI 0.994-0.999), route of transmission (injection-drug user [adjusted OR = 9.366; 95% CI 3.358-26.123] and other routes [tattooing, mother to child, dental services, etc.], [adjusted OR = 3.752; 95% CI 1.157-12.167]), and functional support variable (adjusted OR = 1.007; 95% CI 1.001-1.013) remained in the model as significant predictors for disclosure.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study regarding disclosure of HIV status and its relations to social support and some demographic variables can provide an understanding based on the evidence for promotion of knowledge and coping interventions about people living with HIV/AIDS and their perceived social support status.
Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Zahra
Z
Jorjoran Shushtari
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Department of Social Welfare Management, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Homeira
H
Sajjadi
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Department of Social Welfare Management, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Ameneh Setareh
AS
Forouzan
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Public Health School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IR Iran ; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Public Health School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Yahya
Y
Salimi
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Department of Social Welfare Management, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Masoumeh
M
Dejman
Disclosure; HIV; Iran; Social Support