Disclosure of HIV Serostatus to Sex Partners in Rural Louisiana

Abstract

To examine correlates of HIV disclosure, a convenience sample of 273 HIV-infected persons throughout rural Louisiana were interviewed. Disclosure to sexual partners at time of initial HIV-positive diagnosis and the time of the study interview was ascertained (an average of 5.76 years later). The prevalence of disclosure to past and current sex partners was 57.2% and 80.7% respectively. Those who reinitiated sex with their partner since testing positive for HIV and those who received partner notification were more likely to disclose to past partners. Non-African Americans and those with only one partner were more likely to disclose to present sex partners. Much like urban settings, disclosure is not universal, and interventions such as disclosure skills building and/or ongoing partner notification services may be needed to facilitate disclosure.

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Ms. Hala Fawal and Dr Sten Vermund from the University of Alabama; Dr R Saenz, Dr. Robert Penn from Louisiana State University, the Lallie Kemp Medical Center and Gwangi Richardson-Alston and Dr. Lyn Kieltyka from Tulane University. Finally we wish to thank the patients and staff of the participating clinics Viral Disease Clinic LSUMC – Shreveport, The Philadelphia Center – Shreveport, Acadian Cares-Lafayette, East Clinic, Lafayette, St Tammany Regional Medical Center, Leonard J Chabert Medical Center-Houma, Southwest Louisiana AIDS Council, Lake Charles.