HIV diagnosis & partner notification study

15 MSM were interviewed by phone or face to face about their experience of their recent HIV diagnosis.

Study participant reactions to HIV diagnosis ranged from shock, devastation and anger to a calm acceptance and feeling HIV would not have a significant impact on their lives. Participants who reported strong social support networks, or knew others with HIV, seemed better able to cope with and accept their diagnosis than those with fewer support networks.

Due to ongoing stigma around HIV, most participants were very selective about who they disclosed their status to. They often only told partners perceived to be at risk. They often told no - or only a few - close friends. Regardless of how well men accepted their diagnosis, most did not disclose their status to family members for fear of rejection or causing distress due to ideologies based on outdated information about HIV.

Our study found that the ongoing stigma around HIV can have an impact on a person's acceptance of, and willingness to disclose their HIV serostatus to others. This impacts the levels of professional and social support they receive.