An investigation into the non-disclosure of HIV status

• Main Author: Selebogo, Tryphina Matlholoe
• Other Authors: Van der Merwe, M. M.
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Investigation; Non-disclosure; Disclosure; Human-Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV); Status; 362.196979200968222; HIV infections > Social aspects > South Africa > West Rand; HIV infections > Reporting > South Africa > West Rand; HIV infections > South Africa > West Rand > Psychological aspects
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10500/13638

A quantitative, explorative, descriptive research approach was used to investigate why HIV positive people have a problem with disclosing their status. The HIV infection spread is increasing globally, nationally and locally and disclosing would help reduce the spread of infection through preventive measures. Interviews were conducted with 106 respondents at Kagiso primary health care clinics in the West Rand Health Region. Reasons given by the respondents for non-disclosure of the HIV status were: discrimination, stigma to the HIV positive person and the family by the community, isolation and rejection by the family members, discrimination and possible dismissal at the workplace, fear of losing a partner. The findings illustrate that a large percentage of the population know about HIV and its spread and know that by disclosing, one can get support from health resources and family, but people will not make their status public unless stigmatisation is addressed === Health Studies