Disclosure of positive HIV status to sexual partners among young people receiving treatment at an urban clinic, Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

Background: HIV/AIDS remains a public health threat globally. The disclosure rates of positive HIV status by young people living with HIV (YPLHIV) to their sexual partners vary and have been reported as low as 31%, despite the consequences of non-disclosure. Little is known about disclosure to sexual partners among YPLHIV in most of Sub-Saharan Africa, including Uganda. We assessed the prevalence, determinants, barriers and facilitators of HIV status disclosure to sexual partners among YPLHIV in care at an urban HIV clinic in Uganda. Methods: The study utilized a cross sectional design using a parallel-convergent mixed method approach. We conducted 281 structured interviews through random sampling and 16 purposively sampled in-depth interviews (IDIs) among YPLHIV (18 to 24 years). Descriptive analysis was done to obtain the frequency and percentage of HIV status disclosure to sexual partners of YPLHIV. Modified Poisson regression was used to determine associated factors at multivariate analysis and adjusted prevalence ratios, 95% CI and p values were obtained using STATA version 14. Verbatim transcription and thematic analysis using NVIVO version 12 was used to explore the barriers and facilitators of HIV status disclosure to sexual partners using the health belief model. Results: The prevalence of HIV status disclosure to sexual partners was 45.2%. Having a known HIV free partner (aPR = 0.6, P < 0.001), being a partial or complete orphan (aPR = 1.4, P = 0.022), knowing one’s HIV status for > 1 year (aPR = 0.7, P < 0.001), and having 2 rather than 3 sexual partners (aPR = 1.7, P = 0.013) were among the determinants of HIV status disclosure. Facilitators of disclosure included; health worker/peer support, nature of relationship, protecting partners against HIV, need for social/financial support. Barriers to disclosure included; lack of confidence to disclose, fear of sexual partners’ reaction, awareness of undetectable HIV viral load equated to none HIV transmission, influence by parents among others. Conclusion: This study revealed a low HIV status disclosure prevalence to sexual partners among YPLHIV. Addressing potential barriers through comprehensive health education including the role of viral load in HIV transmission, and creating supportive environments to enhance their confidence, will improve disclosure rates among YPLHIV to their sexual partners.