Document 1995
 DOCN  M94A1995
 TI    Consequences of telling one's seropositivity to others.
 DT    9412
 AU    Defeu I; De Vuyst H; Van Renterghem H; Fleerackers Y; Peeters R;
       Colebunders R; De Witte Raven, Antwerpen, Belgium.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):404 (abstract no. PD0224). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370580
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To study in Flanders the consequences of telling one's
       seropositivity to others. METHODS: Part of the evaluation of the quality
       of care for persons with HIV infection in Flanders an anonymous
       questionnaire survey was organized among persons with HIV infection. The
       study started in September 1993. Questionnaires (in Dutch) were
       distributed by HIV treatment centers, general hospitals, general
       practitioners and HIV/AIDS support organizations. Participants were
       asked whether they told someone else that they were seropositive, which
       person they informed, when they informed them, and what the reactions
       were. So far, the data of the first hundred participants were analyzed.
       RESULTS: The study participants were 84 men and 16 women. Ninety were
       Belgians, 10 were Dutch speaking other Europeans. 73 were homo or
       bisexual men, 11 heterosexual men, 16 heterosexual women. 89
       participants revealed their seropositivity to at least one other person:
       the sexual partner (89%), a friend (77%), a family member (56%), a
       colleague from work (38%), nearly everybody (10%). 82% of the sexual
       partners were informed within 1 month of diagnosis. Consequences of
       revealing their seropositivity to others included: more friendship
       (61%), more support (65%), the information was not kept confidential
       (53%), they were abandoned by the partner (21%), a negative effect on
       the relation with the partner (30%), negative reactions of the family
       (15%), negative reactions of friends (12%), discrimination (19%).
       CONCLUSIONS: Most persons with HIV infection in Flanders inform somebody
       else about their seropositivity. In most instances this led to more
       support and friendship, but often the information was not kept
       confidential.
 DE    Belgium  Bisexuality  Europe/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Female  Homosexuality  Human
       *HIV Seropositivity/*PSYCHOLOGY  *Interpersonal Relations  Male
       Netherlands/ETHNOLOGY  Sex Behavior  *Truth Disclosure  MEETING ABSTRACT

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