To Tell or Not to Tell: Men's Disclosure of Their HIV-Positive Status to Their Mothers

Disclosing an HIV diagnosis to his mother may be the first step in a man's successful management of his illness, but it may also lead to added stress due to stigmatization. Analyzing data provided by 166 HIV-positive men who lived in the southeastern United States, we found that the most powerful correlate of disclosure was exposure to HIV through homosexual contact. Additionally, those who had AIDS rather than HIV and exhibited more severe symptoms were significantly more likely to have disclosed to their mothers; older and more highly educated men were significantly less likely to have done so. We discuss the implications of our findings for maternal caregiving to adult sons in middle and later life.