Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Older People Living with HIV/AIDS (OPLWHA) in Lomẻ, Togo: Personal Networks and Disclosure of Serostatus

  • Published:
Ageing International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Abstract Increase in the number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who are on antiretroviral treatments in low-income countries has led to a rise in the population of older people living with HIV/AIDS (OPLWHA). This study uses a mixed methods approach to examine the personal network of OPLWHA and disclosure of their positive serostatus in Lomé, Togo.

Design and Methods

Data were collected on 49 OPLWHA through an egocentric model and in-depth interviews. Five name generators were used to gather information on personal networks of the OPLWHA and disclosure.

Results

Overall, the networks of OPLWHA in Lomẻ are small. The size of the network of people from whom OPLWHA could borrow an important sum of money was extremely low (0.55). Also, there was a variation in disclosure rates by network types. Furthermore, three major themes related to reasons for non-disclosure of positive serostatus emerged from the data: fear of consequences of disclosure, protection of loved ones, and not knowing how to disclose.

Implications

The OPLWHA in our study have less support to tap into, especially economic support. Policy makers should bear in mind the precarious situation of OPLWHA in order to develop programs that will aid OPLWHA. Furthermore, service providers should be aware of the fact that some female OPLWHA do not know how to disclose their seorstatus to potential intimate partners and thus teach women who wish to be sexually active ways to disclose their HIV positive status, because sexuality is beneficial for the physical and emotional well-being of older people.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arnold, E. M., Rice, E., Flannery, D., & Rotheram-Borus, M. J. (2008). HIV Disclosure among adults living with HIV. AIDS Care, 20, 80–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashida, S., Palmquist, A. E., Basen-Engquist, K., Singletary, S. E., & Koehley, L. M. (2009). Changes in female support network systems and adaptation after breast cancer diagnosis: differences between older and younger patients. The Gerontologist, 49(4), 549–559.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bachmann, G. A. (2000). Introduction: aging and sexuality. Journal of Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine, 9, 1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bastani, S. (2007). Family comes first: men’s and women’s personal networks in Tehran. Social Networks, 29, 357–374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R., & Leary, M. (1995). The need to belong: desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 497–529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boon, H., Ruiter, R. A. C., James, S., Van Den Borne, B., Williams, E., & Reddy, P. (2009). The impact of a community-based pilot health education intervention for older people as caregivers of orphaned and sick children as a result of HIV and AIDS in South Africa. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 24, 373–389.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, S. T., Lee, C. K., Chan, A. C., Leung, E. M., & Lee, J. J. (2009). Social network types and subjective well-being in Chinese older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 64B, 713–722.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). Los Angelos: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crystal, S., Akincigil, A., Sambamoorthi, U., Wenger, N., Fleischman, J. A., Singmond, D. S., et al. (2003). The diverse older HIV-positive population: a national profile of economic circumstances, social support, and quality of life. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 33(Suppl. 2), S76–S83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delaney, R. O., Serovich, J. M., & Lim, J. Y. (2008). Reasons for and against maternal disclosure to children and perceived child reaction. AIDS Care, 20(7), 876–880.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dubova, S. V., Pérez-Cuevas, R., Espinosa-Alarcón, P., & Flores-Hernández, S. (2010). Social network types and functional dependency in older adults in Mexico. BMC Public Health, 10. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-0-104.

  • Emlet, C. A. (2005). Measuring stigma in older and younger adults with HIV/AIDS: an analysis of an HIV stigma scale and initial exploration of subscales. Research on Social Work Practice, 15, 291–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emlet, C. A. (2006a). An examination of the social networks and social isolation in older andyounger adults living with HIV/AIDS. Health & Social Work, 31(4), 299–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emlet, C. A. (2006b). You’re awfully old to have this disease: experiences of stigma and ageism in adults 50 years and older living with HIV/AIDS. The Gerontologist, 46, 781–790.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emlet, C. A. (2007). Experiences of stigma in older adults living with HIV/AIDS: a mixed-method analysis. AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 21, 740–752.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emlet, C. A. (2008). Truth and consequences: a qualitative exploration of HIV disclosure in older adults. AIDS Care, 20, 710–717.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emlet, C. A., & Berghuis, J. P. (2002). Service priorities, use, and needs: views of older and younger consumers living with HIV/AIDS. Journal of Mental Health and Aging, 8, 307–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emlet, C. A., & Farkas, K. J. (2002). Correlates of service utilization among middle and older adults with HIV/AIDS: the role of age in the equation. Journal of Aging and Health, 14, 315–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emlet, C. A., Tozay, S., & Raveis, V. H. (2011). “I’m not going to die from the AIDS”: resilience in aging with HIV disease. The Gerontologist, 51(1), 101–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiori, K. L., Antonucci, T. C., & Akiyama, H. (2008). Profiles for social relations among older adults: a cross cultural approach. Ageing & Society, 28, 203–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster, P. P., & Gaskins, S. W. (2009). Older African Americans’ management of HIV/AIDS stigma. AIDS Care, 21, 1306–1312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gelfang, M. M. (2000). Sexuality among older women. Journal of Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine, 9, 15–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goffman, E. (1961). Stigma. New York: Anchor/Coubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golden, J., Conroy, R. M., & Lawlor, B. A. (2009). Social support network structure in older people: underlying dimensions and association with psychological and physical health. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 14(3), 280–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joubert, J. D., Khephe, L., Lombard, C., & Reddy, P. (2001). A profile of older informal caregivers in South Africa: prevalence, circumstances, and lived experiences. Gerontology, 47(1), 579–581.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, R. L., & Antonnucci, T. C. (1980). Convoys over the life course: attachments, roles, and social support. In P. B. Baltes & O. G. Brim Jr. (Eds.), Life-span development and behavior (Vol. 3, pp. 253–286). New York: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Litwin, H. (2003). The association of disability, sociodemographic background, and social network type in later life. Journal of Aging and Health, 15, 391–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Litwin, H. (2006). Social networks and self-rated health: a cross-cultural examination among older Israelis. Journal of Aging and Health, 18, 335–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marin, A., & Hampton, K. N. (2007). Simplifying the personal network name generator: alternatives to traditional multiple and single name generators. Field Methods, 19, 163–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarty, C., Molina, J. L., Aguilar, C., & Rota, L. (2007). A comparison of social network mapping and personal network visualization. Field Methods, 19, 145–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mermin, J., Were, W., Ekwaru, J. P., Moore, D., Downing, R., Behumbiize, P., et al. (2008). Mortality in HIV-infected Ugandan adults receiving antiretroviral treatment and survival of their HIV-uninfected children: a prospective cohort study. The Lancet, 371, 752–759.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, R. A. (2007–2008). Older poor parents who lost an adult child to AIDS in Togo, West Africa: a qualitative study. Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying, 56, 289–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, R. A., & Henry, D. (2005). Experiences of older informal caregivers to people living with HIV/AIDS in Lome, Togo. Ageing International, 30(2), 147–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, A. R., & Williamson, D. (2011). Disclosure of children’s positive serostatus to family and nonfamily members: informal caregivers in Togo. West Africa: AIDS Research and Treatment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, R. A., Amey, F., & Kalanzi, D. (2009). Living with HIV/AIDS in Lomé, Togo: to disclose or not to disclose to children. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 28, 351–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mueller, M. (1997). Social barriers to recognizing HIV/AIDS in older adults. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 23(11), 17–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Negin, J., & Cumming, R. G. (2010). HIV infection in older adults in sub-Saharan Africa: extrapolating prevalence from existing data. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 80, 847–853.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nokes, K. M., Holzemer, W. L., Corless, I. B., Bakken, S., Brown, M. A., Powell-Cope, G. M., et al. (2000). Health-related quality of life in persons younger and older than 50 who are living with HIV/AIDS. Research on Aging, 22, 290–310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ogunmefun, C., Gilbert, L., & Schatz, E. (2011). Older female caregivers and HIV/AIDS-related secondary stigma in rural South Africa. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 26(1), 85–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olley, B. O., Seedat, S., & Stein, D. J. (2004). Self-disclosure of HIV serostatus in recently diagnosed patients with HIV in South Africa. African Journal of Reproductive Health, 8(2), 71–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ostrom, R. A., Serovich, J. M., Lim, J. Y., & Mason, T. L. (2006). The role of stigma in reasons for HIV disclosure and non-disclosure to children. AIDS Care, 18(1), 60–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinquart, M., Nixdorf-Hanchen, J., & Silbereisen, R. K. (2005). Associations of age and cancer with individual goal commitment. Applied Developmental Science, 9(2), 54–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PNLS-IST (2008). Suivi de la declaration d’engagement sur le VIH: rapport sur les indicateurs de base.

  • Schrimshaw, E., & Siegel, K. (2003). Perceived barriers to social support from family and friends among older adults with HIV/AIDS. Journal of Health Psychology, 8, 738–752.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serovich, J. M. (2001). A test of two HIV disclosure theories. AIDS Education and Prevention, 13, 355–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serovich, J. M., Lim, J.-Y., & Mason, T. L. (2008). A retest of two HIV disclosure theories: the women’s story. Health and Social Work, 33(1), 23–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shippy, R. A., & Karpiak, S. E. (2005). The aging HIV/AIDS population: fragile social networks. Aging & Mental Health, 9, 246–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siverson, C. (1999). Women, HIV, and aging: a social worker’s perspective. Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS (BETA), Summer, 35–38.

  • Ssengonzi, R. (2007). The plight of older persons as caregivers to people infected/affected by HIV/AIDS: evidence from Uganda. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 22(4), 339–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stover, J., Fidzani, B., Molomo, B.C., Moeti, T., & Musuka, G. (2008). Estimated HIV trends and program effects in Botswana. PLoS One, 3(11), e3729. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003729.

  • Terpenning, M. (1998). AIDS in older people. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 46, 244–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • The World Fact book. (2012). Africa: Togo. Retrieved on 8/4/2012 at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/to.html.

  • Thomas, D. R. (2006). A general inductive approach for analyzing qualitative evaluation data. American Journal of Evaluation, 27(2), 237–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Tilburg, T. (1998). Losing and gaining in old age: changes in personal network size and social support in a four-year longitudinal study. Journal of Gerontology: SOCIAL SCIENCES, 53B(6), S313–S323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wellman, B., & Wortley, S. (1989). Brothers’ keepers: situating kinship relations in broader networks of social support. Sociological Perspectives, 32, 273–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WHO. (2003). Gender dimensions of HIV status disclosure to sexual partners: rates, barriers and outcomes. Retrieved on 08/27/2011 at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2004/9241590734.pdf

  • WHO. (2009). Mortality country fact sheet, Togo 2009. Retrieved on 08/27/2011 at: www.who.int/whosis/mort/profiles/mort_afro_tgo_togo.pdf

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle # 311157, Denton, TX, 76203, USA

    Ami R. Moore

Authors
  1. Ami R. Moore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ami R. Moore.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moore, A.R. Older People Living with HIV/AIDS (OPLWHA) in Lomẻ, Togo: Personal Networks and Disclosure of Serostatus. Ageing Int 38, 218–232 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-012-9158-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-012-9158-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation