Revista de SIDA e investigación clínica

Sero Status Disclosure and Condom use among Plwhas on Art in Assela Town Health Facilities, Oromiya Region

Abstract

Hailu Fekadu, Mesfin Addisie and Habtamu Mellie

Background: HIV Status disclosure and sexual behavior of PLWHAS is vital for HIV prevention efforts and the couple’s health in the context of accelerated highly active antiretroviral therapy. Therefore it is essential to see serostatus disclosure and sexual behavior of PLWHAs who are taking ART as this has implication for prevention of HIV epidemic.

Objective: To assess sero status disclosure and condom use among PLWHAs who are on ART in Assela town health facilities, Arsi Zone, Oromiya Region.

Methodology: institution based cross sectional study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods from February to April 2013 among 324 PLWHAs who are taking ART from Assela town health institutions. Structured and pretested questionnaire was used for data collection of qualitative part and semi-structured questionnaire was used for qualitative part.

Result: More than half of the participants 167 (51.5%) were females. The majority 264 (81.5%) were married. Over all 94.1% of the respondents had disclosed their HIV positive result to their regular partner. Knowledge of partners’ sero status, prior discussion about HIV, type of relationship with partner, living in the same home and duration of HIV test were determinants of sero status disclosure. The proportion of consistent condom use in this study was (60.8%) and the main reason reported for not using condom were partner’s refusal (37.4%). Prior discussion about HIV test, duration since ART started, history of condom use and sex of respondent were found to be determinants of consistent condom use.

Conclusion: Although the magnitude of HIV positive status disclosure to regular partner found in this study was encouraging, lack of disclosure by a minority resulted in a limited ability to engage in preventive behaviors. Therefore HIV prevention programs and organizations working on HIV should further enhance disclosure and condom use using different mechanisms like mass health education and face to face counseling.