Originalarticle socioeconomic challenges and coping mechanisms ofhivserodiscordant couplesinjimmatown, oromia/Ethiopia

Abstract

Thisstudyon socioeconomic challengesfacedandcopingstrategies Used by hivserodiscordantcouples Wasconducted in jimmatown in 2012/13. Research objectivesare toidentify socioeconomic challenges of Livingin hivdiscordantrelationship;to describecopingstrategiesofthe Discordantcouples, and to examinepublicresponsestoward HIV Discordance.Purely a qualitative researchapproachwasemployed.Given Differentpersonal and structuralfactors, serodiscordantcouplespractice Unsafesexhencethere ishigherprobabilityof infection forthenegative Partnerand achild born to theunion ifthemotherishivpositive. Challengesoflivingin hivdiscordantrelationshipsincludedifficulty of Managingmarital andfamily relationships,thedilemmaofchildbearing,risk Ofchild infection and lack oftheirwellbeing, forced changesin patternsof Sexuality, stigmaand discrimination, lack ofsocialsupport, lack orabsence Ofdependablelivelihood and income relatedproblems. Externalization of Responsibility, blaming and non-blaming attitude,hope,secrecy,intimacy And cooperation, avoidance, naturalization/normalization, sharing, denial, Selfpraising,tolerance, andadherence are amongthe copingmechanisms Used bydiscordantsin managing theserodiscordantrelationships. Finally, Theissueofserodiscordanceisnotadequatelyprogrammaticallyintervened Inethiopiatowardswhichtheseresearcherscall thecommitment ofall Stakeholders.