The impact of HIV serodiscordancy on married couples attending the infectious diseases clinic at 1 Military Hospital

Abstract

HIV/AIDS is severely affecting the armed forces in South Africa. Combating HIV/AIDS demands a high level of commitment from the Ministry of Defence and all the Divisions and Services at all levels in the Department of Defence. Prevention practice for HIV/ AIDS is a challenged because the nature and full extent of the impact on the forces, and in particular on serodiscordant couples, are not known. This research study explored the experiences of serodiscordant couples regarding the impact of serodiscordancy on their marriages. The Infectious Disease Clinic engages serodiscordant couples as active participants in dealing with their HIV status. The researcher explored the impact of HIV serodiscordancy on married couples attending the Infectious Disease Clinic at 1 Military Hospital with the intended outcome of informing intervention and prevention strategies and programmes for serodiscordant couples. The study utilised a qualitative research approach and the research design was an instrumental case study. The population for the study was all the married serodiscordant couples in the Infectious Disease Clinic at 1 Military Hospital. The sample consisted of 20 serodiscordant couples attending the Infectious Disease Clinic for at least the past two years. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The study concluded that empowerment programmes on HIV/AIDS should include knowledge of, as well as coping skills and guidance for couples dealing with serodiscordancy, including disclosure and discrimination; marital and parenting roles; health management, building of trust; facilitating open and positive communication; and financial management. Based on the conclusions of the study, the main recommendation is that prevention strategies and empowerment programmes for serodiscordant couples should be based on a holistic, well-integrated intervention plan which contextualises strategies and programmes for prevention, treatment, counselling, empowerment and continuous support of the employee, their spouse and their family, including home visits, as required by the serodiscordant couple. Furthermore, it should clearly conceptualise the role of each team member at both the Infectious Disease Clinic and the relevant units of the SANDF, in particular the role of the social worker.