Variations in the Role of Social Support on Disclosure Among Newly Diagnosed HIV-Infected People Who Inject Drugs in Vietnam

• Published in: AIDS and behavior Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 155 - 164
• Main Authors: Go, Vivian F., Latkin, Carl, Le Minh, Nguyen, Frangakis, Constantine, Ha, Tran Viet, Sripaipan, Teerada, Mo, Tran Thi, Davis, Wendy W., Vu, Pham The, Quan, Vu Minh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.01.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; AIDS; Antiretroviral therapy; Disclosure; Discrimination, Psychological; Drug abuse; Female; Health Psychology; HIV; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Imprisonment; Infectious Diseases; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Paper; Public Health; Self Disclosure; Sexual Partners; Sexually transmitted diseases; Social Environment; Social interactions; Social Stigma; Social Support; Socioeconomic Factors; STD; Stigma; Stigmas (botany); Substance Abuse, Intravenous - complications; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - psychology; Truth Disclosure; Vietnam; Young Adult; Vietnam; ISEW, Vietnam; HIV disclosure; Injection drug use; People living with HIV; Stigma; Social support
• ISSN: 1090-7165; 1573-3254
• DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1063-5

Stigma and perceived social support can influence the decision to disclose HIV positive status, especially for people who inject drugs (PWID). In this analysis, the association between social support and HIV disclosure among 336 newly diagnosed HIV-infected PWID in Northern Vietnam was assessed. One month after diagnosis, 34.8 % of participants had not disclosed to anyone. Disclosure to anyone and to a family member specifically, was associated with baseline social support in the form of positive interactions and a history of incarceration. Disclosing to a family member was less likely among those who had unprotected sex in the previous 3 months. Disclosure to an injecting partner was more likely among those with a history of being in a drug treatment program, knowing someone on ART and believing that ART is safe. These data suggest that social support may facilitate disclosure among family members, including spouses, while disclosure to injecting partners is greater when PWID know that ART is a safe and viable option.