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Table 2 Participants views on the advantages and disadvantages of 3 methods for delivery of facilitated disclosure

From: Facilitating HIV status disclosure for pregnant women and partners in rural Kenya: a qualitative study

Facilitated disclosure method

Advantages

Disadvantages

Health worker teaches you how to go and talk to your spouse

1.Given opportunity to personally disclose HIV to partner (open up to partner)

1. Difficult to discuss HIV status with partner alone

2. Added knowledge which can initiate HIV disclosure

2. May result in disagreement and quarrels between couples

3. Increase understanding between couples

3. May result in abuse

 

4. Learn strategies for HIV disclosure

4. May result in separation

Health worker tells you to go and bring your partner to health care facility

1. Opportunity to be counseled together

1. Partner may refuse to go to clinic

2. Shows doctors care about couples’ lives

2. Inviting partner to go to health care facility for HIV testing could evoke suspicion of positive HIV status which could result in abuse/violence

3. Learn how to disclose to partner

3. May be blamed for the HIV infection

4. Support is provided to assist with disclosure

5. Increase understanding between couples

6. Increase communication between couples

7. Could contribute to PMTCT

8. Ability to access treatment

 

9. Privacy

 

Health worker decides to visit the home

1. Contribute to acceptance of HIV infection

1. May spark questions/concerns or gossip in the community

2. Contribute to adherence to medication

2. Community members may suspect HIV-infection

3. Increase knowledge

3. May result in stigma

4. Reduce cost to go the health care facility cost

4. May experience embarrassment for self or family

5. Reduce hospital fears

5. Potential breach of confidentiality by health workers

6. Potential for individuals in the community to benefit

6. Neighbors may become knowledgeable of one's HIV status

7. Potential to have health checks for self and family at home

7. May result in separation

8. Shows doctors care about couples’ lives

8. May experience abuse/violence from partner

 

9. Promotes HIV testing

9. Some community members may avoid the home visit