HIV Sero-Status Disclosure Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto-Nigeria

Nasir S, Hassan M

Background: Partner consent, disclosure of HIV sero-status and support can substantially enhance adherence to PMTCT interventions. The study determined the prevalence, barriers and outcome of HIV sero-status disclosure among pregnant women and its implications for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Aim: This study aims to determine the prevalence and barriers to HIV sero-status disclosure among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at a tertiary institution in Sokoto, Northern Nigeria. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study that was conducted from Jan. 2014 to April 2014 at the antenatal clinic of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. Results: A total of 100 respondents participated in the study, all were married, 46.0% had tertiary education and mean parity of 2.4 ± 2.2. Only 97 respondents consented to HIV screening at booking, 9.3% (9) were found to be HIV positive while 79.4% were HIV negative. Six (66.7%) of the nine respondents had their results disclosed. Five made the disclosure to their husband (83.3%), while one made the disclosure to her mother. Age, educational status and duration of marriage were not significantly associated with disclosure of HIV sero-status (X2=4.90, P=0.4, 0.33). Among respondents that disclosed their sero-status, 66.6% were still in marital relations with their spouse being supportive. In this study, the prevalence of HIV sero-status disclosure was 66.7% among HIV positive. The main barrier to non-disclosure of sero-status was fear of divorce in (50%). Conclusion: The study revealed that the rate of disclosure was high among the respondents. Disclosure was made to the husband in the majority of the respondents. The study showed no statistically significant relationship between age, level of education and duration of marriage. The most feared barrier to disclosure was divorce; in general a positive outcome followed the disclosure. It is recommended that involvement of male partner through public health awareness campaign should be early in HIV counseling and testing process to reduce and or eliminate the most feared barriers to disclosure in order to provide the needed support to the spouse.