Female partners of AIDS patients in Uganda: reported knowledge, perceptions and plans

To assess reported knowledge of a partner's AIDS diagnosis, perceived risk of HIV infection, need for HIV testing and future support plans among women partners of male Ugandan AIDS patients.

A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted at New Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. The subjects were women partners of consecutive male AIDS patients admitted to medical wards.

Only 12% reported their partner's AIDS diagnosis; women who reported knowing were less likely to be financially dependent on the partner. Most women (76%) reported being at risk of HIV; in general, these women were older, in a newer relationship, had less children and were in customary rather than civil or cohabiting marriages. More than half (56%) of the women reported a need for HIV testing, though few (5%) had been tested. Those who stated the need for HIV testing were in a newer relationship, had less children and were more financially independent of their husbands; women in a cohabiting type marriage were less likely to report their need for testing than those in a civil or customary marriage. About half (56%) reported plans for future support if their husbands did not recover; these women were more likely to be in an older relationship and to have more children.

Most women partners of AIDS patients in New Mulago Hospital reported no knowledge of their husbands' diagnosis. Over half perceived a need to be tested but very few reported having been tested, and only half reported having planned for the future of their families. Interventions are urgently needed to address barriers to knowledge and to acknowledgement of a partner's AIDS diagnosis, to HIV testing and to planning for the future.