HIV diagnosis and disclosure

For those we interviewed the knowledge that either they or
their partner had diagnosed HIV needed to be managed on
both an individual and collective level. It impacted on how each
partner saw themselves and also how they perceived the
future of their relationship. This report begins by exploring
how participants with diagnosed HIV became aware of their
HIV status, and how they have tried to come to terms with it,
before describing their decision making about sharing this
status with their partner and their means of doing so. The
thoughts and experiences of participants who had not
disclosed their status are described. Finally it explores the
reactions of the HIV negative or untested partners to
disclosure, its impact on a personal level and how they sought
to come to terms with this news.