Social relationships, mental health, and stigma
A qualitative study of social networks and HIV disclosure in Western Kenya
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22263885 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sarah Obatsa (Kenya Medical Research Institute), Adel Mburia-Mwalili (0000-0002-5798-3920, University of Nevada, Reno), Salvador Jauregui (0009-0003-6552-8906, University of California, Riverside), K D Wagner (0000-0002-8614-2004, University of Nevada, Reno), Lukoye Atwoli (0000-0001-7710-9723, Aga Khan University), Francesca Odhiambo (0000-0002-3503-2294, Kenya Medical Research Institute), Jayne Lewis-Kulzer (0000-0003-3314-9891), Suzanne Goodrich (0000-0002-0620-7585, Indiana University Bloomington), Kara Wools‐Kaloustian (0000-0002-3277-4452, Indiana University Bloomington), Jennifer Syvertsen (0000-0002-2387-7273, University of California, Riverside, corresponding author) |
| Editors | Somayeh Hessam (0000-0001-6501-3687) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | e0006273 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-24 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | PLOS Global Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2767-3375 • E-ISSN: 2767-3375 |
| Publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1371/journal.pgph.0006273 |
| PMID | 42341056 |
| OpenAlex | W7165728587 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 45 |
The disclosure of one’s HIV-positive status is a personal decision that can play an important role in engagement in HIV treatment and care. Social network approaches situate individuals within broader webs of social connections that influence health and wellbeing and thus hold the potential to elucidate key social factors shaping the process of disclosure. As part of a larger clinical study examining how substance use and mental health shape HIV outcomes, we recruited 61 individuals newly diagnosed with HIV at two clinics in Western Kenya to participate in an egocentric social networks study. We conducted a survey that generated a visual network map to guide a subsequent qualitative interview about experiences being diagnosed and living with HIV. We thematically analyzed the qualitative data and visual network maps to examine the social contexts and patterns of HIV disclosure, with the goal of identifying supportive contexts of disclosure. The mean age was 36.7 years (range: 20–62); women were significantly younger than men and more likely to self-report a mental health issue. Typically, participants disclosed their HIV-positive status to a small number of close, trusted alters in their network, including intimate partners, siblings and other family members, and friends. The need for mental health support in the wake of a new diagnosis, especially among women, encouraged disclosure. Across nearly all stories, stigma was a powerful deterrent to sharing one’s status, and multiple people noted prior disclosure to others not named in their current networks because their relationships were negatively impacted. Our study shows how the intersection of social relationships, mental health, and stigma is critical in understanding decision-making processes around disclosure. Selective disclosure typically improved participants’ wellbeing while stigma precluded disclosure and exacerbated distress. Our study offers suggestions for social network interventions to support people living with HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) · Mental health · Qualitative property · Qualitative research · Social network (sociolinguistics) · Social stigma · Social support · Stigma (botany) · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Mental Health Research Topics
The Association of HIV-Related Stigma to HIV Medication Adherence
Social Support and Patient Adherence to Medical Treatment
Stress, Social Support, and HIV-Status Disclosure to Family and Friends Among HIV-Positive Men and Women
A qualitative inquiry of experiences of HIV-related stigma and its effects among people living with HIV on treatment in rural Kilifi, Kenya
Christian ethics and HIV stigma
Effect of a brief psychological intervention for common mental disorders on HIV viral suppression
Mental health burden among females living with HIV and Aids in sub-Saharan Africa
Sex specific differences in HIV status disclosure and care engagement among people living with HIV in rural communities in Kenya and Uganda
Adaptation of the Client Diagnostic Questionnaire for East Africa
HIV-related stigma, disclosure and social support
The power of siblings and caregivers
Disclosure of HIV results among discordant couples in Rakai, Uganda
“How can I tell?” Consequences of HIV status disclosure among couples in eastern African communities in the context of an ongoing HIV “test-and-treat” trial
Factors Leading to Self-Disclosure of a Positive HIV Diagnosis in Nairobi, Kenya
Disclosure among HIV-positive women
Use of a counsellor supported disclosure model to improve the uptake of couple HIV testing and counselling in Kenya
Facilitating HIV status disclosure for pregnant women and partners in rural Kenya
When they are all grown, I will tell them”
An Adapted Friendship Bench Counseling Intervention (FB) to Improve Mental Health and HIV Care Engagement Outcomes Among People Living with HIV (PWH) Who Inject Drugs in Hanoi, Vietnam
Social Support, Disclosure, and Use of Antiretroviral Therapy
Differential Disclosure Across Social Network Ties Among Women Living with HIV
Experiences of, and motivations for, disclosing HIV to social and familial networks
Social Ties and Mental Health
Understanding HIV disclosure
Women living with HIV
Belonging, social connection and non‐clinical care
How Many Interviews Are Enough
Techniques to Identify Themes
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |