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Disclosure of Hiv status to sexual partners among people who ...

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Length <strong>of</strong> time after testing<br />

Women <strong>who</strong> knew their results for more than one year were more likely <strong>to</strong> disclose than<br />

those <strong>who</strong> had known for less than one year (Kassaye, Lingerh & Dejens, 2005). A study<br />

in Tanzania found that disclosure <strong>to</strong> <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>partners</strong> increased from 22% within two<br />

months <strong>of</strong> diagnosis <strong>to</strong> 41% after nearly four years (Antelman et al., 2001). The study in<br />

Ethiopia (Deribe et al., 2008) also found that although about 73% <strong>of</strong> the women disclosed<br />

their HIV <strong>status</strong> <strong>to</strong> their <strong>partners</strong> on the day they received their results, others <strong>to</strong>ok as<br />

long as two years before they disclosed. In another study, Mansergh, Marks and Simoni<br />

(1995) observed that there is a positive correlation between the length <strong>of</strong> time since<br />

diagnosis and the likelihood <strong>of</strong> disclosure. These studies show that the number <strong>of</strong> <strong>people</strong><br />

<strong>who</strong> disclose increases with time.<br />

Clinical stage <strong>of</strong> the disease<br />

Individuals in an early WHO clinical stage were less likely <strong>to</strong> disclose <strong>to</strong> a partner<br />

compared <strong>to</strong> those in advanced state <strong>of</strong> the disease (Deribe, et al., 2008). Parsons, et al,<br />

(2004) also found that individuals <strong>who</strong> had been living with HIV for longer periods <strong>of</strong><br />

time and those with increased symp<strong>to</strong>ms were more likely <strong>to</strong> disclose their HIV <strong>status</strong>.<br />

Deribe et al. (2008), Hays et al. (1993) and Marks et al. (1992) argued that delaying<br />

disclosure might be because individuals find that they require emotional or social support<br />

from family as the disease progresses or it might be that concealing their illness at a late<br />

stage becomes difficult. This implies that disclosure <strong>of</strong> one’s HIV <strong>status</strong> as a result <strong>of</strong><br />

deteriorating health especially <strong>to</strong> <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>partners</strong> could be detrimental <strong>to</strong> HIV prevention.<br />

Level <strong>of</strong> Education<br />

Findings from a cross-sectional study <strong>among</strong> women living with HIV in South West<br />

Ethiopia (Kassaye, Lingerh & Dejens, 2005) showed that illiterate women were more<br />

likely <strong>to</strong> disclose their test results <strong>to</strong> <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>partners</strong> than educated women. However, this<br />

fac<strong>to</strong>r seems <strong>to</strong> vary depending on the context. A study in Burkina Faso found that<br />

women with higher education are more likely <strong>to</strong> disclose their HIV test result <strong>to</strong> their<br />

<strong>sexual</strong> partner than women <strong>who</strong> are illiterate (Issiaka, Car<strong>to</strong>ux, Ky-Zerbo, Tiendrebeogo,<br />

Meda, Dabis & Van de Perre, 2001).<br />

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