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Abstract
Being positive about negativity: the hidden voices of negative women partners living with HIV/AIDS
N. Ray
Issues: Living in serodiscordance with a HIV negative woman partner is the key characteristic of many relationships and life circumstances of HIV positive heterosexual men. However this is rarely addressed in HIV/AIDS health education programs. HIV surveillance data suggests that up to one third of HIV transmission cases occurs within serodiscordant relationships.
Currently there’s no common language or understanding that supports the needs and issues of HIV negative women partners living in these relationships. Stigma, disclosure, isolation and loneliness are just some of the many issues that these women partners face on a daily basis and their needs receive little or no consideration in program delivery and health promotion initiatives - yet in the context of heterosexual HIV/AIDS, they form the greater part of the equation and these women are at the greatest risk of contracting HIV.
This paper addresses PartnersPLUS, a new initiative of the statewide Heterosexual HIV/AIDS Service, NSW Australia in which the women themselves direct their own needs in developing competencies in living with HIV/AIDS.
Lessons learned: HIV knowledge and skills is low level among HIV negative women partners. The risk of these women seroconverting is high and the need to develop programs and resources that manage sex and risk as well as working with HIV treatments in their relationships is paramount.
Recommendations: ‘Being Positive about Negativity’ explores a new set of core competencies and language developed by women partners themselves to address their own needs in living with a positive person and keeping themselves HIV negative.
AIDS 2006 - XVI International AIDS Conference
Abstract no.
CDD1058
Suggested Citation
" N. Ray
Being positive about negativity: the hidden voices of negative women partners living with HIV/AIDS.
:
AIDS 2006 - XVI International AIDS Conference:
Abstract no.
CDD1058"
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