Factors Associated with Outcomes of Status Disclosure among Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Attendees in Public Health Facilities of Mekelle City, Tigray, Ethiopia

INTRODUCTION: Positive status disclosure is considered a central strategy and a critical gateway in the prevention and treatment of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Disclosure of serostatus plays a significant role in preventing transmission and provides early care services for people with the virus. It also improves adherence to treatment and the quality of life in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-positive clients. However, research on the outcome of seropositive status disclosure has been uneven, both in time and geography, and is limited, particularly in the Tigray region. OBJECTIVE: To assess the factors associated with outcomes of status disclosure among antiretroviral therapy attendees in public health facilities of Mekelle City. METHOD: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A systematic random sampling technique with K=6 was used to select study participants, recruiting a total sample size of 273. The data were collected based on face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis with a 95% confidence interval and a cut-off point p-value < 0.25 were used to assess the associated factors. SPSS version 21 was used to analyze the data. RESULT: Of the total respondents in this study, 231 (84.6%) reported that the outcome of discussing their HIV seropositive result was positive. Conversely, 15.4% reported negative outcomes of disclosure. In the multivariable analysis, the outcome of disclosure was significantly associated with gender (AOR=3.5, 95% CI [1.110-11.272]) and the quality of the relationship with a partner before disclosure of status (AOR=0.172, 95% CI [0.045-0.647]). CONCLUSION: Although the majority of the people experienced positive outcomes, a significant proportion of individuals are experiencing negative outcomes from positive status disclosure. Therefore, healthcare providers should be aware of both the benefits and the negative consequences of disclosure. They should also identify women most at risk for negative outcomes and provide counseling and support throughout the entire disclosure process.