The study aimed to explore and describe the factors influencing disclosure of Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status to sexual partners by people infected with HIV in
Botswana, by undertaking an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study. Data was
collected through in-depth interviews with people infected with HIV who had disclosed
their HIV status to their partners.
The major findings of the study confirmed disclosure as a multi-stage process. People
infected with HIV experienced mainly positive and some negative outcomes following
disclosure. Disclosure was associated with the discloser’s motivations, personal and
cultural beliefs, risk-benefit assessment, individual circumstances (context), previous
experiences, and perceived degree of control over private information.
The communication privacy management (CPM) theory helped explain the findings. The
key factor influencing disclosure was protecting others. Non-disclosers had also
seriously considered disclosing to partners.