Giving HIV a place: Coping Strategies and Life Choices of HIV discordant couples

Recognising HIV discordance and addressing the needs of discordant couples should form an integral part of global and national responses to the HIV epidemic. Where the transmission and acquisition of HIV by definition take place in relationships where one person is HIV-positive and the other HIV-negative, it is important to understand coping strategies and life choices in HIV discordant relationships and to learn from them for global HIV prevention efforts.

The Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+) in two exciting sessions during AIDS 2010 will shed light on HIV discordant relationships. Drawing on research with 51 HIV discordant couples in long-term relationships in South Africa, Tanzania and the Ukraine, GNP+ will deconstruct the issues of disclosure, reproductive desires and HIV prevention strategies within HIV discordant relationships, with a particular focus on men who have sex with men (MSM).

Understanding HIV discordant relationships in an era of effective treatment is an important part of Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention. People living with HIV are defining their own prevention, treatment, care and support needs as they relate to their lives and the lives of those close to them.

Under Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention there is a clear commitment to improving the quality of lives of people living with HIV, their partners and their communities. With people living with HIV living longer and healthy lives, more attention is being paid to relationships, intimacy, disclosure and safer sex for HIV discordant couples. Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention recognises the importance of addressing the broad needs of people living with HIV. It highlights the importance of placing the person living with HIV at the centre of managing their health and wellbe ing within their social, cultural, economic and legal context.

HIV Discordant Couples: An Exploratory study, was carried out by the Centre for Health Policy at the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), in collaboration with GNP+. The full report can be accessed here.

The Global Network of People living with HIV is presenting experiences of people living with HIV in two sessions during AIDS 2010:

Positive-Negative: Coping Strategies and Life Choices of Sero-Different Couples

Monday 19 July – Global Village Symposium – 16:30 – 18:00 – GVSR1

Couples of different HIV status face a number of social, sexual and reproductive challenges that can have an impact upon their relationship. Dr. Kevin Moody, International Coordinator and CEO of GNP+ will speak about findings from the study carried out by the University of Witwatersrand, the Human Sciences Research Council and GNP+ on coping strategies and life choices made by couples with different HIV statuses in long-term relationships.

Sero-difference: Experience about Sex and Relationships

Wednesday 21 July – Workshop - 11:00 – 12:30 - Mini Room 2

The workshop will provide insight into real life challenges and psycho-social needs within sero-different relationships and how these have been managed by people in these relationships. During the workshop there will be opportunity to ask questions to Dr. Kevin Moody, International Coordinator and CEO of GNP+ and his husband about how they are dealing with their sero-difference.

For more information about GNP+ and Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention, please contact Martin Stolk, GNP+ Communications Officer by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .