Spousal disclosure of HIV serostatus among women attending antenatal care in urban Nigeria

Abstract

About 80% of HIV-positive pregnant women in our unit have a seronegative spouse. The prevalence, pattern and determinants of spousal disclosure of HIV serostatus was evaluated among 166 HIV-positive pregnant women receiving antiretroviral treatment. Although 146 women (88%) disclosed their HIV serostatus, 20 women (12%) did not disclose their status to their spouse. Non-disclosure was significantly associated with nulliparous (p=0.024) and unmarried women (p=0.026). Fear, regarding spread of the information (57.8%), stigmatisation (53%) and deterioration in the relationship with the spouse (47%) were the three commonest reasons for non-disclosure. Disclosure of HIV-positive status remains a sensitive issue among infected pregnant women. Strategies to reduce the stigma associated with HIV infection, appropriate management of the information following disclosure of seropositive status by HIV-infected persons are necessary to encourage disclosure to sexual partners and ultimately prevent new HIV infections.

Prevalence pattern and determinants of disclosure of HIV status in an anti retroviral therapy clinic in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

“…These findings are supported by similar studies from South -west (Daniel and Oladapo, 2004), Northern (Olagbuji et al, 2011) and South-eastern Nigeria (Sagay et al, 2006). …”

“…A similar study of the 187 HIV infected people residing in a resource-limited setting in Port-Harcourt South-South Nigeria recorded that 144 (77.0%) had disclosed their HIV-serostatus while 43 (23.0%) had not (Akani and Erhabor, 2006). Partner disclosure of HIV status among HIV positive mothers from different studies showed a disclosure rate of 88% (Olagbuji et al, 2011), 89% (Sagay et al, 2006) and 90% (UNAIDS/WHO, 2005) in Edo South-South Nigeria, Nnewi, South-East Nigeria and Jos Northern Nigeria respectively. The disclosure rates for HIV positive mothers have been found to be higher than in the general population (Olagbuji et al, 2011 andSagay et al, 2006).…”

“…Partner disclosure of HIV status among HIV positive mothers from different studies showed a disclosure rate of 88% (Olagbuji et al, 2011), 89% (Sagay et al, 2006) and 90% (UNAIDS/WHO, 2005) in Edo South-South Nigeria, Nnewi, South-East Nigeria and Jos Northern Nigeria respectively. The disclosure rates for HIV positive mothers have been found to be higher than in the general population (Olagbuji et al, 2011 andSagay et al, 2006). This study carried out in a tertiary hospital in Bayelsa, South-South Nigeria evaluates the prevalence, pattern and determinants of disclosure of HIV status amongst patients in an Anti-Retroviral Therapy Clinic.…”

Types and predictors of partner reactions to HIV status disclosure among HIVinfected adult Nigerians in a tertiary hospital in the Niger Delta

“…12 Failure to disclose has been attributed to fear of abandonment, broken relationships, physical and emotional abuse, discrimination and loss of economic support. 2 Despite these disclosure-related fears, studies from both developed and developing countries [2][3][4][5][6][7] , Nigeria inclusive [8][9][10][11][12][13] , have revealed predominant positive or supportive reactions to disclosure, with 50-100% of sexual partners eliciting positive reactions following disclosure. The few reports of negative reactions such as disruption of relationships, violence and discrimination were more commonly reported among unmarried sexual partners and sero-discordant couples, as well as among people from low economic status and in those with history of violence in their relationships.…”

“…In Nigeria, existing studies on partner reactions to HIV status disclosure were conducted solely among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic without highlighting the determinants of positive or negative reactions to disclosure. [8][9][10][11][12][13] In this study we assessed the pattern and determinants of reactions to HIV disclosure to sexual partners among adult HIV-infected adult patients attending an anti-retroviral clinic in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. This is the first of such studies from our centre and to our knowledge, the first study from Nigeria evaluating the variables associated with partner reactions to HIV-disclosure.…”