HIV disclosure and sexual practices of ART patients at one centre in Swaziland

Abstract

Concern has been raised about the ART patients relinquishing the principles of the ABC (abstain, be faithful and condomise) approach to the prevention of HIV infection once the positive effects of ART are experienced. Ten years after the launch of the national ART programme in Swaziland, it remained unknown to what extent this concern applied to ART patients attending one ART clinic in Swaziland. This study sampled 340 ART patients from one ART clinic in Swaziland. A purposely designed questionnaire covering four indicators of sexual practice namely: number of children hoped for, type of sexual relationship, number of sexual partners and condom use were administered to respondents by four field workers. The main statistically significant findings of this study included: Females were more likely to disclose their HIV status than males Males were more likely to use condoms than females There was an association between religion and disclosure, but clergy were the least "trusted" persons to whom the respondents would disclose The notion of increased promiscuity accompanied with prolonged ART, was contradicted These finding must be interpreted within the context of the target population - ART patients attending one ART clinic in Swaziland.