A REVIEW OF CHALLENGES AND COPING STRATEGIES FACED BY HIV/AIDS DISCORDANT COUPLES

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus epidemic is one of the biggest public health challenges the world has ever experienced in recent history. The reality is that there are a number of challenges that discordant couples will be faced with and the fact that sometimes anti-HIV medicines may have a negative psychological effect on the person because they make them feel weak or even affect their mood. It could affect the way they relate with their partner. One specific negative effect may be the lowering of sexual drive. The major challenges facing HIV discordant couples include issues pertaining to sex posed the most difficult challenge, disagreements over sex and blame about bringing HIV into the family, issues regarding procreation, lack of interest in sex initially after testing, psychological stress due to inadequate social support to help in copying with discordance, the feeling that society looked down at them as being promiscuous and a risk to their families especially their spouses.