Decision - making on HIV status disclosure to family members among women living with HIV in Hanoi: Motivations, challenges, and outcomes

Abstract

This qualitative study used in-depth interviews to describe the motivations, challenges, and outcomes of disclosing HIV status to family members among 30 HIV-positive women in Hanoi. The analysis results revealed that all HIV-positive women in the study disclosed their status to at least one family member. Motives for disclosure included the desire to seek support, awareness of HIV prevention for the family, responsibility in marital relationships, and identifying the source of transmission. Fear of stigma, discrimination, and concerns about the negative consequences of disclosure on family members were the two main barriers preventing some women in the study from sharing with specific individuals. Disclosing to the family had numerous positive impacts on women. However, after disclosure, a few women experienced fractures in family relationships, stigma, exclusion, and rejection from their families. The findings contribute to providing a basis for developing appropriate interventions to support HIV-positive women in coping with the illness, overcoming stigma, accessing, and maintaining treatment.