Emotional and relationship dynamics between HIV serodiscordance and concordance couples: a narrative literature review and theoretical framework
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Date
2017-05-25
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ARC
Abstract
Tanzania is among the countries with high prevalence of HIV prevalence in the World. Despite the
fact that the epidemic has been, and still is a threat to persons of all ages, recent studies have suggested that
most new infections occur among couples in stable relationships. Infected couples are categorised into two:
the positive concordant, where both the partners are HIV positive; and sero-discordant couples, where one
partner is HIV positive while the other is negative. Recently, researchers and many other stake-holders
working on the HIV/AIDS epidemic have given a remarkable attention to this astonishing reality. For
instance one study in East and Southern Africa indicates that there are great variations of discordancy
varying from 36% to 85%, with an overall rate of 49%.
HIV couple sero-discordancy is responsible for varied levels of psychological distress including heightened
levels of anxiety, poor emotional adaptation and increased or excessive substance use, most often coupled
with exclusion and social isolation within family and in the neighbourhood. However, to date the influence of
sero-discordancy on family and couple relationship functioning and how it differs from that among
concordant couples remains elusive.
Discordancy have been associated with more difficulties as compared to the seroconverted couples, these
include relationship and emotional disturbances, sexual contact distancing, marital separation and
disruptions. The Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984)'s Transactional Model can be helpful in understanding
individuals with HIV discordancy on their emotional response, coping strategies and the ultimate decisions
towards their marital relationships fate.
Description
ARC Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine
Volume 2, Issue 2, 2017, PP 1-14
Keywords
Couple sero-discordancy, HIV/AIDS, Psychosocial problems, Literature review., Theory, emotional problems