Discordance, Disclosure and Normative Gender Roles: Barriers to Couple Testing Within a Community-Level HIV Self-Testing Intervention in Urban Blantyre, Malawi



Kumwenda, Moses Kelly, Corbett, Elizabeth Lucy, Chikovore, Jeremiah, Phiri, Mackwellings, Mwale, Daniel, Choko, Augustine Talumba, Nliwasa, Marriot, Sambakunsi, Rodrick, Taegtmeyer, Miriam, Gutteberg, Tore Jarl
et al (show 2 more authors) (2018) Discordance, Disclosure and Normative Gender Roles: Barriers to Couple Testing Within a Community-Level HIV Self-Testing Intervention in Urban Blantyre, Malawi. AIDS AND BEHAVIOR, 22 (8). pp. 2491-2499.

Access the full-text of this item by clicking on the Open Access link.
[img] Text
Discordance, Disclosure and Normative Gender Roles Barriers to Couple Testing Within a Community-Level HIV Self-Testing Inte.pdf - Published version

Download (868kB) | Preview

Abstract

A community-based HIV self-testing study in Blantyre, Malawi demonstrated that not all individuals living in couples tested with their partner. We describe factors dissuading individuals in couples from self-testing with their partner. Data were drawn from qualitative study exploring consequences of HIV self-testing within couples. In-depth interviews were conducted with 33 individuals living in couples who tested alone. Participants expressed fear of dealing with HIV-discordant relationships. Failure to self-test with a partner was correlated with gender, with more men than women overtly declining or unconsciously unable to have joint HIV self-test. Men feared exposure of infidelity and were often not available at home for economic reasons. Barriers to uptake of couple HIV self-testing seemed to be shaped by gendered dichotomies of social-relationships. To help achieve the first 90% of the UNAIDS 90:90:90 goals, it is important to overcome structural barriers to realise the full potential of HIV self-testing.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Disclosure, Discordance, Gender, Couple, Self-test
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 06 Feb 2020 10:16
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 00:04
DOI: 10.1007/s10461-018-2038-0
Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-018-2038-0
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3073761