A systematic review and analysis of the empirical evidence through June 2010 on HIV disclosure to children 12 and under was conducted using methods validated by the Cochrane group. Fifteen articles focusing on caregiver disclosure (255 total) were analyzed using GradePro 3 software. Results suggest that there is evidence of health and future care planning benefit for HIV+ and healthy children (12 and under) of HIV+ caregivers if the caregiver discloses his/her HIV status to them. Children of the maturity of school age youth (e.g., beginning at 6 years and continuing through 12) can be told of their caregivers' HIV status, while younger children may be informed partially in an age-appropriate manner.

With more effective treatment advances, long term HIV survivors are turning their attention back towards career and relationship. Based on a research study (N = 82) this article provides a preliminary overview of the key emotional experiences of being in a primary relationship of mixed HIV status. The article reviews relevant literature on emotional stresses and challenges facing the individual in such a relationship and reports on the study's quantitative and qualitative findings on the subject. Regardless of serostatus, sexual orientation or gender, key issues clearly emerged for this population. They are fearful of HIV transmission, impact of uncertainty, an increase in emotional closeness due to HIV as well as an inevitable emotional distance due to the difference in HIV status. Secondary issues included reproductive dilemmas and struggles given one partner's HIV status and difficulty with disclosing a partner's HIV positive status to others. Implications for social workers in health care are provided.

This study addressed the perceptions of stigma and disclosure behavior of HIV-seropositive mothers. Eighty-eight HIV-seropositive women in New York City completed two independent measures of stigma, the Perceived Stigma Scale and the Devaluation-Discrimination Measure. Disclosers (67%) and nondisclosers (33%) were similar in most sociodemographic characteristics-marital status, race, religion and employment, with the exception of age and education. Significant differences were found between disclosure groups in the use of secrecy as a stigmamanagement tool and in perceived devaluation-discrimination associated with an HIV diagnosis. Nondisclosers to children were significantly more likely than disclosers to use secrecy as a stigma management tool (t =-2.76; p =.01), and to feel devalued and discriminated against as a result of HIV serostatus (t = 3.11; p =.01). Disclosure of parental HIV serostatus to children is an important aspect of continuous care and custody planning. Secrecy and perceptions of devaluation and discrimination related to HIV diagnosis should be seen as barriers to disclosure of serostatus to children.