Intimate relationships in young adults with perinatally acquired HIV

An increasing number of children born with perinatally acquired HIV (PAH) are surviving into late adolescence and early adulthood. At this developmental stage, forming and sustaining intimate relationships is important. Young adults with PAH face both normative challenges and additional, HIV-related, relationship stressors. One key issue is the decision about whether and how to share their HIV status with others. Being able to disclose one's HIV status to sexual partners may reduce the risk of onward HIV transmission but is associated with the fear of rejection. There has been little research on how young people with PAH manage such disclosure-related stressors in intimate relationships. This study examined how disclosure challenges are managed by young adults with PAH in the UK within their intimate relationships. Seven participants (five females and two males) currently or previously in an intimate relationship, aged 18-23 years, were recruited from a UK hospital clinic. The majority of participants were of sub-Saharan African origins. They took part in in-depth interviews, with data analysed according to the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four themes were elicited: (1) decisions about starting, continuing or resuming relationships shaped by disclosure, (2) disclosing early to avoid the pain of future rejection, (3) using condoms to avoid disclosure and (4) testing likely partner reactions to disclosure. The study revealed the significant extent to which HIV disclosure affected the experience of relationships in this population. Interventions to support adolescents and young adults with PAH to disclose to their partners should be developed alongside guidance for professionals. Future research should include older samples of adults with PAH and studies in sub-Saharan African settings

Liter · Literacy and Educational Practices · Medicine

• Sexual health indicators among young adults living with perinatally-acquired HIV in france, a gender-stratified comparison with their peers in the general population

  Open Access•Nour Ibrahim, Jean Bouyer et al.•BMC Public Health•2025

  Incluir item

• Social effects of HIV disclosure, an ongoing challenge in young adults living with perinatal HIV

  Open Access•Linda Aurpibul, Arunrat Tangmunkongvorakul et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2023

  Incluir item

• The Problematization of Sexuality among Women Living with HIV and a New Feminist Approach for Understanding and Enhancing Women’s Sexual Lives

  Open Access•Allison Carter, Saara Greene et al.•Sex Roles•2017

  Incluir item

• The process of developing an HIV disclosure intervention for youth with perinatally acquired HIV

  Open Access•Michael Evangeli, Georgina Gnan et al.•Global Public Health•2026

  Incluir item

• Association of experienced and internalized stigma with self-disclosure of HIV status by youth living with HIV

  Open Access•Cyrus Mugo, David Seeh et al.•AIDS and Behavior•2021

  Incluir item

• Growing Up with HIV

  Open Access•Carina Oliveira, Filipa Teixeira et al.•AIDS and Behavior•2025

  Incluir item

• A Content Analysis of Reasons for Disclosing Sexual Fantasies and Partner Responses

  Matthew L Kimberley, Samuel A Jones et al.•The Journal of Sex Research•2024

  Incluir item

• Stigma, coping strategies, and their impact on treatment and health outcomes among young men living with HIV in Vietnam

  Open Access•Nhu K Tran, Bach Ngoc Vu et al.•PLOS Global Public Health•2022

  Incluir item

• Posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic depreciation among people living with HIV

  Open Access•Małgorzata Pięta, Marcin Rzeszutek•AIDS Care•2023

  Incluir item

• It was giving them a feeling that they're not alone in this”

  Open Access•Michael Evangeli, Lauren Nesbitt et al.•Children and Youth Services Review•2019

  Incluir item

• Love with HIV

  Open Access•Allison Carter, the CHIWOS Research Team et al.•Archives of Sexual Behavior•2019

  Incluir item

• Understanding the mental health of youth living with perinatal HIV infection

  Open Access•Claude Ann Mellins, Kathleen Malee et al.•Journal of the International AIDS…•2013

  Incluir item

• Evolving guidelines for publication of qualitative research studies in psychology and related fields

  Open Access•Robert Elliott, Constance T Fischer et al.•British Journal of Clinical…•1999

  Incluir item

• Reasons for HIV Disclosure/Nondisclosure in Close Relationships

  Valerian J Derlega, Barbara A Winstead et al.•Journal of Social and Clinical…•2004

  Incluir item

• Parenting considerations in young adults with perinatally acquired HIV

  Michael Evangeli, Clare Greenhalgh et al.•AIDS Care•2014

  Incluir item

• Preventive service needs of young people perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda

  Harriet Birungi, Francis Obare et al.•AIDS Care•2009

  Incluir item

• “I feel like I'm carrying a weapon.” Information and motivations related to sexual risk among girls with perinatally acquired HIV

  Stephanie L Marhefka, Cidna Valentin et al.•AIDS Care•2011

  Incluir item

• “I look forward. I feel insecure but I am ok with it”. The experience of young HIV+ people attending transition preparation events

  Tomás Campbell, Hannah Beer et al.•AIDS Care•2010

  Incluir item

• Intimate relationships in young adults with perinatally acquired HIV

  Clare Greenhalgh, Michael Evangeli et al.•AIDS Care•2013

  Incluir item

• Growing up

  Sarah J Fielden, Lori Sheckter et al.•AIDS Care•2006

  Incluir item

• A Longitudinal Study of Adolescents with Perinatally or Transfusion Acquired HIV Infection

  Open Access•Lori Wiener, Lori S Wiener et al.•AIDS and Behavior•2006

  Incluir item

• Reducing HIV Transmission Risk by Increasing Serostatus Disclosure

  Open Access•Steven D Pinkerton, Carol L Galletly•AIDS and Behavior•2006

  Incluir item

• Sexual Behavior and Perceived Peer Norms

  Open Access•Jose A Bauermeister, Jose Bauermeister et al.•Journal of Youth and Adolescence•2009

  Incluir item

• "I have grown up controlling myself a lot." Fear and misconceptions about sex among adolescents vertically-infected with HIV in Tanzania

  Joanna Busza, Giulia Vr Besana et al.•Reproductive Health Matters•2013

  Incluir item