Disclosure Decisions of Rural African American Men Living With HIV Disease

A qualitative study was conducted to explore disclosure decisions of rural African American men living with HIV disease. The sample consisted of 20 HIV-infected African American men living in the rural South who had been diagnosed with HIV for at least 6 months. Audiotaped semistructured interviews were used for data determination. The men were questioned about who they had told about their disease, reactions to their disclosures, and their advice to others about disclosing. Results showed that initially the men did not disclose their disease to others, and many of them continued not to disclose. They were concerned about negative consequences such as rejection, fear of contagion, and the recipients telling others. If and when they disclosed, it was likely to be to sexual partners, immediate family members, and health care providers. Their decision not to disclose protected them from the possible negative reactions, but it also limited the amount of social and emotional support they received related to their HIV disease.

Key words: disclosure, rural South, African American men