HIV disclosure rates higher for gay men than Africans in London

The overwhelming majority of gay men and Africans with HIV in London have disclosed their HIV status to at least one other person, according to a study published in the April 1^st edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. However, the investigators found that patterns of disclosure varied significantly between gay men and Africans, with African men and women having lower levels of disclosure overall and also being less likely to disclose to their current partner, family, friends, employer or work colleagues.

Disclosure of HIV status can have both benefits and risks. The benefits include increased support and access to services, and there is even some evidence that people who are open about their HIV status have higher CD4 cell counts. But on the down side, disclosure can have risks, including potential discrimination, and loss of support.

Legal issues around disclosure have changed in the UK in recent years. In 2005 the Disability Discrimination Act was amended to provide important protections to people with HIV. But to access these legal benefits it is necessary for disclosure of HIV status to have taken place. There have also been a number of convictions for the “reckless” transmission of HIV. In all these cases the convicted individual did not disclose their HIV infection to their sexual partner.

Despite these changes there is limited information on HIV disclosure in the UK. Investigators from the City University in London designed a study to find out the extent of disclosure amongst people with HIV, to whom they disclosed, and the role of ethnicity in disclosure.

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