Table 2.
Perceived seriousness and anticipated consequences of living with HIV among 1,072 HIV‐negative and never‐tested MSM living in the Netherlands
| Low burdena (n; %) | Neutral or medium burdena (n; %) | High burdena (n; %) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perceived severity of HIV | |||
| Perceived severity of HIV | Not bad (43; 4%) | Neutral (203; 19%) | Very bad (826; 77%) |
| Health‐ and ART‐related consequences | |||
| Burdensome side effects | No (159; 15%) | Maybe (630; 59%) | Yes (283; 26%) |
| Integrating ART in daily routine | Easy (425; 40%) | Nor easy nor difficult (483; 45%) | Difficult (164; 15%) |
| Remembering daily ART taking | Easy (399; 37%) | Nor easy nor difficult (500; 47%) | Difficult (173; 16%) |
| Taking ART in presence of others | Easy (202; 19%) | Nor easy nor difficult (439; 41%) | Difficult (431; 40%) |
| Habituation of ART taking | Yes (522; 49%) | A little (394; 37%) | No (156; 15%) |
| Burden of hospital visits | No (257; 24%) | Neutral (531; 50%) | Yes (284; 26%) |
| Being more vulnerable for diseases due to HIV | No (141; 13%) | Neutral (512; 48%) | Yes (419; 39%) |
| Having shortened life expectancy due to HIV | No (268; 25%) | Neutral (520; 49%) | Yes (284; 26%) |
| Psychosocial consequences | |||
| Acceptance of having HIV | Yes (332; 31%) | Neutral (449; 42%) | No (291; 27%) |
| Emotional burdena | Rarely (79; 7%) | Sometimes (437; 41%) | Often (556; 52%) |
| Pre‐occupation with HIV | Rarely (73; 7%) | Sometimes (496; 46%) | Often (503; 47%) |
| Quality of life | Improvement (31; 3%) | Unchanged (703; 66%) | Worsening (338; 32%) |
| Change in relationship with family/friends | Improvement (48; 4%) | Unchanged (848; 79%) | Worsening (176; 16%) |
| Fear to infect family/friends | No (572; 53%) | Neutral (256; 24%) | Yes (244; 23%) |
| Discrimination | Rarely (79; 7%) | Sometimes (554; 52%) | Often (439; 41%) |
| Getting fired | Rarely (399; 37%) | Sometimes (510; 48%) | Often (163; 15%) |
| Problems with healthcare systemb | Rarely (259; 24%) | Sometimes (592; 55%) | Often (221; 21%) |
| Problems with obtaining mortgage | Rarely (208; 19%) | Sometimes (465; 43%) | Often (399; 37%) |
| Problems/limitations when traveling | Rarely (235; 22%) | Sometimes (594; 55%) | Often (243; 23%) |
| Disclosure‐related consequences | |||
| Disclosurec | Low burden (61; 6%) | Medium burden (410; 38%) | High burden (601; 56%) |
| Non‐disclosurec | Low burden (65; 6%) | Medium burden (516; 48%) | High burden (491; 46%) |
| Disclose over time | Gets easier (256; 24%) | Remains unchanged (721; 67%) | Gets more difficult (95; 9%) |
| Sex‐ and relationship‐related consequences | |||
| Difficulty getting steady relationship | No (93; 9%) | Neutral (411; 38%) | Yes (568; 53%) |
| Getting left by steady partner | Rarely (198; 18%) | Sometimes (559; 52%) | Often (315; 29%) |
| Quality of steady relationship | Improvement (38; 4%) | Unchanged (709; 66%) | Worsening (325; 30%) |
| Worsened sex life with steady partnerd | No (111; 22%) | Neutral (224; 45%) | Yes (160; 32%) |
| Less enjoyment of sex with steady partnerd | No (122; 25%) | Neutral (221; 45%) | Yes (152; 31%) |
| More fear/stress during sex with steady partnerd | No (77; 16%) | Neutral (213; 43%) | Yes (205; 41%) |
| Getting rejected by potential casual partner | Rarely (42; 4%) | Sometimes (370; 35%) | Often (660; 62%) |
| Easier finding new casual partners | Yes (90; 8%) | Neutral (461; 43%) | No (521; 49%) |
| Worsened sex life with casual partners | No (174; 16%) | Neutral (493; 46%) | Yes (405; 38%) |
| Less enjoyment during sex with casual partners | No (208; 19%) | Neutral (511; 48%) | Yes (353; 33%) |
| More fear/stress during sex with casual partners | No (145; 14%) | Neutral (496; 46%) | Yes (431; 40%) |
| Fear to infect sex partners | No (249; 23%) | Neutral (348; 32%) | Yes (475; 44%) |
| Perceived insight | |||
| Perceived insight in living with HIV | Little insight (227; 21%) | Neutral (553; 52%) | Lot of insight (292; 27%) |
a
Emotions included feelings of inferiority, loneliness, insecurity about the future, fear, relief, depressive feelings, feeling less attractive, shame, stress and anger/frustration
b
problems with healthcare systems included problems with non‐HIV healthcare providers, health insurances, pharmacies and dentists
c
expected burden of (non‐)disclosure included burden of (non‐)disclosure to family, friends, fellow students, colleagues, existing steady partner, new steady partner, existing casual sex partner, and new casual sex partner
d
among those who reported to currently be in a steady relationship.