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 |