It’s a very grey, very messy area’

A qualitative examination of factors influencing undetectable gay men’s HIV status disclosure to sexual partners

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15098010
AutoresGrant Roth (0000-0002-6998-6483, Emory University, autor de correspondencia), Elizabeth Reisinger Walker (0000-0001-7221-3089, Emory University), Colin L Talley (0000-0002-8209-8712, Emory University), Sophia Ahmed Hussen (0000-0002-5726-1637, Emory University)
Año2023
Volumen25
Número5
Páginas664-679
Fecha de publicación2023-05-02
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaCulture Health & Sexuality (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1369-1058 • E-ISSN: 1464-5351
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13691058.2022.2086708
PMID35697340
OpenAlexW4282837336
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas35

HIV disclosure to sexual partners remains a multifaceted yet stigmatised process. The 'undetectable equals untransmittable' (U = U) concept has raised ethical and moral concerns about the obligation and need to disclose, and using Internet applications to seek sex partners has modified disclosure practices. While previous qualitative literature has examined the HIV disclosure process, there is a dearth of information on this topic among gay men in the USA who have an undetectable viral load. Using thematic analysis of data collected during a period of expanded U = U knowledge, this study explores the cognitive, contextual, interpersonal and structural factors impacting undetectable gay men's HIV status disclosure decisions to sexual partners. In-depth interviews were conducted in August 2020 over Zoom with 20 gay men with undetectable viral loads. The main themes included 'sense of obligation,' 'situational disclosure' and 'partners' responsibility in the disclosure process.' Participants balanced the aforementioned factors to inform their disclosure decisions, and disclosure patterns varied across participants dependent upon thoughts regarding ethics and morality of (non-)disclosure. The findings provide new insights to how participants navigate disclosure while considering U = U, HIV criminalisation laws, and finding partners through Internet applications while providing direction for future studies and support for decriminalising HIV and expanding HIV education

Homosexuality · Human sexuality · Interpersonal communication · Moral obligation · Obligation · Political science · Qualitative research · Self-disclosure · Situational ethics · Sociology · Thematic analysis · Gender Studies · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Law · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Psychology · Social Psychology