Socio-economic implications of disclosing HIV status in Gaborone, Botswana

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate socio-economic implications of disclosing HIV status among People Living with HIV (PLWH) receiving care at selected infectious disease control centres in Gaborone, Botswana. Design: The design for this study is a cross sectional study design. Method: Three hundred and ten participants were conveniently sampled in this study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Results: Three hundred and ten questionnaires were completed, 99 were males and 211 were females. Majority were educationally below junior certificate and by status, single. Majority disclosed status to family member (45.2%). PLWH aged between 25 and 68 disclosed. The most common reasons for disclosure of HIV among PLWH attending care and treatment included wanting the sexual partner, family, friend to hear the information from them (95.3%) and the most common reason for non-disclosure of HIV among PLWH attending care and treatment is fear that the partner/family/friend would ask questions that the respondent was not prepared to answer(98%). The most cited reactions to disclosure from partners/family/friend are that the sexual partner/family/friend comforted the person living with HIV (90%). Conclusion: The study identified that PLWH tend to disclose to their family members rather than their partners, and this might lead to high chances of transmission of HIV. PLWH experience psychosocial and emotional support from family members whereas their partners tend to reject, abandon, stigmatise and discriminate after disclosure of their HIV status. The longer the individual lives with HIV the higher the acceptance, leading to HIV status disclosure.