Prevalence and predictors of facing a legal obligation to proactively disclose HIV serostatus to sexual partners among a cohort of people living with HIV who inject drugs in a Canadian setting: a cross-sectional analysis.

2016 | CMAJ Open

Program(s): Epidemiology and Population Health |

Abstract:

Background: In October 2012, the Canadian Supreme Court ruled that people living with HIV must disclose their HIV status before sex that poses a "realistic possibility" of HIV transmission, clarifying that in circumstances where condom-protected penile-vaginal intercourse occurred with a low viral load (< 1500 copies/mL), the realistic possibility of transmission would be negated. We estimated the proportion of people living with HIV who use injection drugs who would face a legal obligation to disclose under these circumstances.

Methods: : We used cross-sectional survey data from a cohort of people living with HIV who inject drugs. Participants interviewed since October 2012 who self-reported recent penile-vaginal intercourse were included. Participants self-reporting 100% condom use with a viral load consistently < 1500 copies/mL were assumed to have no legal obligation to disclose. Logistic regression identified factors associated with facing a legal obligation to disclose.

Results: We included 176 participants, 44% of whom were women: 94% had a low viral load, and 60% self-reported 100% condom use. If condom use and low viral load were required to negate the realistic possibility of transmission, 44% would face a legal obligation to disclose. Factors associated with facing a legal obligation to disclose were female sex (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-4.24), having 1 recent sexual partner (v. > 1) (adjusted OR 2.68, 95% CI 1.24-5.78) and self-reporting a stable relationship (adjusted OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.03-3.91).

Interpretation: Almost half the participants in our analytic sample would face a legal obligation to disclose to sexual partners under these circumstances (with an increased burden among women), adding further risk of criminalization within this marginalized and vulnerable community.

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Patterson S

BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

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Prevalence and predictors of facing a legal obligation to proactively disclose HIV serostatus to sexual partners among a cohort of people living with HIV who inject drugs in a Canadian setting: a cross-sectional analysis.

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