The social and gender context of HIV disclosure in sub-Saharan Africa: A review of policies and practices

Figures & data

Table 1. Percentage of respondents who reported having disclosed their serostatus to partners, family or friends, selected studies from sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2012.

Country	First author	Year of publication	Sample	Disclosed to at least one person	Disclosed to sexual partner
Burkina Faso	Issiaka	2001	79 HIV+ pregnant women		31.6%
Burkina Faso	Nebie	2001	306 HIV+ post-partum women		18%
Burkina Faso	Ouedraogo	2005	122 HIV+ women, 66 HIV+ men	74.5%
Burkina Faso	Guiro	2011	412 HIV+ women and men		22.3%
Burkina Faso	Kouanda	2012	740 HIV+ women and men	81.4%	67.7%^a
Cameroon	Loubiere	2009	1014 HIV+ women		86.3%
Cameroon	Suzan-Monti	2011	1673 HIV+ women and men with a stable partner		85.4%^a
Côte d'Ivoire	Brou	2007	546 HIV+ women in PMTCT		46.2% HIV+
			393 HIV− women in PMTCT		96.7% HIV−
Côte d'Ivoire	Tonwe-Gold	2009	568 HIV+ married women		53%
Ethiopia	Deribe	2008	353 HIV+ women, 352 HIV+ men	94.5	90.8
Ethiopia	Gari	2010	384 HIV+ women	92.2%	87.3%^a
Kenya	Farquhar	2001	172 HIV+ women		67%
Kenya	Gaillard	2002	329 HIV+ women		31%
Kenya	Rutenberg	2003	HIV+ and HIV− pregnant women: 1300 in Karatina site	53% by HIV+, 70% by HIV−	58% ^b (HIV+ and HIV− combined)
			800 in Homa Bay site	35% by HIV+, 83% by HIV−	64% ^b (HIV+ and HIV− combined)
Malawi	Bobrow	2008	300 HIV+ pregnant women		90%
Malawi	Anglewicz	2011	916 HIV+ and HIV− currently married women	95.6% ^b	66.7% by HIV+, 85.8% by HIV−
			636 HIV+ and HIV− currently married men	99.0% ^b	90.0% by HIV+, 92.1% by HIV-
Nigeria	Akani	2006	187 HIV+ women and men	77%	23.6%
Nigeria	Ezegwui	2009	92 HIV+ pregnant women		94.4%
Nigeria	Iliyasu	2011	289 HIV+ women		67.1%
Nigeria	Olagbuji	2011	166 HIV+ pregnant women on ART		87.9%
Nigeria	Titilope	2011	499 HIV+ women and men		61.5%
South Africa	Olley	2004	69 HIV+ women and men		22%
South Africa	Sethosa	2005	41 HIV+ women, 14 HIV+ men	36%
South Africa	Skogmar	2006	144 HIV+ women and men	92%	79%
South Africa	Visser	2008	293 HIV+ pregnant women	59%	80%
South Africa	Wong	2009	192 women and 23 men, all HIV+	87%	64% to any sex partner; 59% to spouse
South Africa	Vu	2012	630 HIV+ women and men with recent sexual contact		81.4% by whole sample; 87.4% by those with steady partner, 57.2% by those with casual partner
Tanzania	Antelman	2001	1078 HIV+ pregnant women		22% by 2 months and 40% by 4 years after diagnosis
Tanzania	Kilewo	2001	288 HIV+ pregnant women	22%	16.7%
Tanzania	Maman	2003	245 HIV+ and HIV− women, VCT clients		69% by HIV+; 83% by HIV−
Uganda	King	2008	1092 HIV+ women and men		69%
Uganda	Kairania	2010	293 HIV− sero-discordant couples		81%
Uganda	Kiene	2010	28 HIV+ women and men, 187 HIV− women and men		91.7% (22) by HIV+, 86.9% by HIV−
Uganda	Ssali	2010	40 HIV+ women and men	95%	54%^a
Uganda	Osinde	2011	256 HIV+ women and men (mostly women) receiving ART		61.5%
Uganda	Osinde	2012	403 HIV+ women and men		49.1%
Zimbabwe	Patel	2012	200 HIV+ women on ART or wait list	96.5%	78%^a (by currently married)
Zambia	Rutenberg	2003	1002 HIV+ and HIV− pregnant women	49% by HIV+, 86% by HIV−	72% ^b (by HIV+ and HIV−)
Kenya, Tanzania, Trinidad	Grinstead	2001	1463 HIV+ and HIV− women and men		76% ^b (by HIV+ and HIV−)
Review: 15 studies sub-Saharan Africa and 2 from Asia
	Medley	2004	HIV+ (and in some studies HIV−) women		16.7–86% ^b
Notes: Italics indicate that disclosure rates either included or were limited to HIV− respondents (as noted). PMTCT refers to prevention of mother-to-child transmission (programs). ART refers to antiretroviral therapy.
^aTo a stable partner, among respondents with a stable partner or spouse.
^bIncluded HIV− as well as HIV+ respondents.

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