Stigma and HIV disclosure in the Cape Metropolitan area, South Africa

Abstract

Disclosure rates of HIV-positive status remain low and are considered to be related to stigmatisation. Determining the factors that influence a person’s decision to disclose a positive status is essential to understanding the process of and ways to improve disclosure rates. This study investigated the factors that influence the disclosure of a person’s HIV-positive status and focused on socio-demographic factors, stigma and discrimination, religion, culture, fear of abandonment and rejection as well as knowledge of the disease that may all influence disclosure rates. A facility based descriptive cross-sectional research design with a quantitative approach was applied using convenience sampling. The sample comprised 150 individuals which was 12.5% of the study population. A self-administered questionnaire comprising mainly closed-ended questions, with a limited number of open ended questions was designed, tested and utilised. Statistical associations were determined between the...