Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care

Publisher

Wolters Kluwer

School

School of Nursing and Midwifery

RAS ID

32681

Funders

Edith Cowan University

Comments

This is a non-final version of an article published in final form in Zgambo, M., Arabiat, D., & Ireson, D. (2021). It cannot happen, never: A qualitative study exploring youth views on disclosure of HIV diagnosis to their sexual partners in Southern Malawi. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 32(6), 652-661. https://doi.org/10.1097/JNC.0000000000000238

Zgambo, M., Arabiat, D., & Ireson, D. (2021). It cannot happen, never: A qualitative study exploring youth views on disclosure of HIV diagnosis to their sexual partners in Southern Malawi. The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 32(6), 652-661. https://doi.org/10.1097/JNC.0000000000000238

Abstract

With the availability of antiretroviral therapy, more children living with HIV live longer than before and grow into young adulthood. This study examined the concerns of youth about disclosure of an HIV diagnosis to their sexual partners and attempted to gain an understanding of their HIV status disclosure experiences, views, and plans. A focused ethnography was undertaken. Using semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 20 youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years who were attending an HIV clinic. The findings highlight that youth generally struggled to disclose their HIV status to their sexual partners. The most frequent reasons for concealing their HIV status was fear of relationship termination, being unmarried, and fear that their sexual partners may reveal their HIV diagnosis to the community, thereby predisposing them to stigmatization, discrimination, and prejudice. There is a need to develop and strengthen HIV disclosure support groups for youth to help them develop life skills for overcoming HIV-related stigma.

DOI

10.1097/jnc.0000000000000238

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