Social support, stigma, and HIV disclosure among parents living with HIV in Guangxi, China

ABSTRACT

Both stigma and social support have been identified to be associated with HIV status disclosure among people living with HIV. This study aimed to examine cross-sectional associations of perceived social support and multiple types of stigma with both disclosure to various target groups and timing of disclosure among parents living with HIV (PLHIV) in Guangxi, China. Cross-sectional data from 1254 PLHIV in Guangxi, China were analyzed. Measures included demographics, disclosure to specific groups (steady partner/spouse, children, family and others) and timing of disclosure, perceived social support, and three types of HIV-related stigma (perceived, internalized, and enacted stigma). Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the associations of interest. The participants who reported higher levels of perceived social support were more likely to have disclosed to steady partner/spouse, family or others. Those who experienced enacted stigma were more likely to have disclosed to children or family. Those who were married/cohabitating were more likely to have disclosed to steady partner/spouse, and less likely to have disclosed to children, family or others. Older PLHIV were less likely to have disclosed to steady partner/spouse, or family. Those who had a job were more likely to have disclosed to steady partner/spouse. Perceived social support appeared not to be associated with timing of disclosure. Those who disclosed within a shorter time after diagnosis were more likely to be women or have disclosed to steady partner/spouse, and less likely to have higher perceived stigma or have disclosed to family. Interventions are needed to help reduce the negative effect of perceived stigma at both family and community levels and to help enhance perceived social support in general and emotional support in particular among PLHIV, especially males and older adults.

KEYWORDS:

• Stigma
• perceived social support
• target-specific disclosure
• timing of disclosure
• parents living with HIV

Acknowledgement

The article’s contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official view of NICHD or NSFC. The authors thank Guangxi CDC and the 12 recruitment sites for their support, and the study participants for their courage in coming forward to participate in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development under [grant number R01HD074221]; National Natural Science Foundation of China under General Program [grant number NSF71673146].