Psychosocial Impact of disclosure of HIV Serostatus in heterosexual relationship at the Lagos University teaching Hospital, Nigeria

OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate and pattern of disclosure and non disclosure of HIV serostatus among people living with HIV and the psychosocial impact of disclosure. METHODS: Participants were drawn from the adult HIV clinic at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from consenting participants that included socio-demographic information, pattern and reason for non-disclosure and the possible consequences of disclosure of HIV serostatus to their sexual partners. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety nine respondents with a mean age of 37.3 ± 9.6 years were recruited into the study. There were 157 males and 342 females. Majority of the participants were married (62%) and belonged to the low socio-economic class. Overall 61.5% (307 of 499) had disclosed their status to sex partner(s). Gender, social class and length of year of diagnosis were not associated with disclosure but number of sexual partners was strongly associated with non disclosure. P=0.0063. The most common reason for non-disclosure was fear of rejection (65%). Majority (96.7%) of those who disclosed their status had no regret and majority (81.1%) of those who had not disclosed had protected sex. After counseling, only18.8% (36 of 192) of those that had not disclosed thought that the counseling had helped them overcome the fear of disclosure and were willing to disclose. CONCLUSION: Many people would disclose their HIV serostatus to sex partner(s). Protected sex (through the use of condom) is widely accepted in our setting.