Objective: This study investigated women living with HIV/AIDS (WLHA)'s practices and decision-making regarding disclosure of HIV status in healthcare settings in Vietnam. Introduction: Disclosure of HIV status in healthcare settings is under-studied.
Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 WLHA in Hanoi, Vietnam. Thematic analysis was conducted to investigate the patterns, considerations, and consequences of HIV disclosure. Results: Most participants chose a selective disclosure strategy based on the type of procedure and healthcare setting. They considered several factors: concerns about stigma/discrimination, risks of confidentiality breach, relevance to healthcare provision, and altruism towards protecting providers and other patients. Selective disclosure or non-disclosure often prevented participants from accessing comprehensive care. Conclusion: The study underscores the need to prepare WLHA to make informed decisions regarding disclosure and provide them with service navigations and support. It also highlights the necessity of reducing stigma and enhancing confidentiality protection to ensure safe disclosure in healthcare settings.
Keywords: HIV; Vietnam; disclosure; qualitative research; service seeking; stigma; women.
Telling Healthcare Providers About HIV Status: How Women with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam Decide and What They ConsiderThis study focuses on how women living with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam decide to share their HIV status with healthcare providers. We interviewed 30 women with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam and found that many choose to reveal their status only in certain situations, depending on the medical procedure and the setting. They weigh various factors before deciding to disclose, including the risk of facing stigma, the need to protect their privacy, how relevant their HIV status is to their other health issues, their wish to protect their healthcare providers and other patients, and how they have been advised by HIV specialists. Unfortunately, choosing not to disclose their status sometimes stops them from getting the full range of medical care they need. The findings stress the importance of helping these women make well-informed choices about disclosing their HIV status. We also need to provide them with additional support and navigational help through healthcare services. Moreover, reducing stigma in healthcare, enhancing providers' ability to gather necessary health information, and ensuring patient privacy are crucial to encouraging more open discussions of HIV status in medical settings.