Recorded presentation

Jeanne Miriam Moseley, MPH, HIV Surveillance and Epidemiology Program, Program Evaluation and Training Unit, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 346 Broadway, Room 701, CN-44, New York, NY 10013, 212-442-3476, jmoseley@health.nyc.gov and Jennifer S. Hirsch, PhD, Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia Universtiy, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032.

This qualitative investigation explored the needs and worries of a group of HIV+ women and examined patterns of their serostatus disclosure. In-depth interviews were conducted with 50 postpartum HIV+ women, recruited from support groups and research activities at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit and the Zola Clinic in Soweto, South Africa during 2001. Eligibility criteria were: 1) aware of HIV+ status, 2) 18+, and 3) mother of at least one child. The interviews were transcribed in Zulu or Sotho from audiotapes and translated into English. Matrices were created to organize and thematically analyze data. Women identified jobs (78%), food and/or milk for their infants (50%), and housing (24%) as important needs. Women’s worries included: well-being of children (62%), dying of AIDS (54%), and disclosure of HIV+ status (44%). The majority of women chose to disclose their HIV status to one or more individuals (38/50: 76%) and most of these (34/38: 89%) respondents chose to disclose to their partners. Disclosers were influenced by social support, condom use negotiation with partner, and the desire to explain to others why they were using formula rather than breastfeeding. Reasons for non-disclosure were fear of partner’s reaction and stigma. Based on these findings, we recommend that programs working with HIV+ women strive to: create employment opportunities, provide free formula for six months and food supplementation for women with newborns, initiate further research exploring HIV+ women’s experiences in other parts of South Africa, and identify ways to encourage men’s involvement in HIV prevention and support programs.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify the major needs and worries of 50 HIV positive women in Soweto, South Africa.
• Describe patterns and determinants of HIV positive serostatus disclosure among a group of 50 HIV positive women in Soweto, South Africa.
• Recognize why giving women the opportunity to voice their needs, worries, and experiences of living with HIV is one of the first critical steps to setting appropriate priorities for HIV prevention, treatment, and care.

Keywords: International Public Health, Women and HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation