Speaker:  Shan Qiao, Ph.D, Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior at the University of South Carolina.

Time: July 06, Friday, 15:00 - 16:00 

Venue: Room 1206, Wang Kezhen Building

Abstract: A key challenge to HIV prevention and care is to engage and retain HIV patients in the HIV treatment cascade (diagnosis, linkage to care, engagement in care, retention in care, treatment adherence, and viral suppression). HIV-related disclosure (e.g., disclosing sexual identity, sexual risk behaviors, and/or HIV serostatus) is an initial step towards entering the HIV treatment cascade and is positively associated with social support, psychological well-being, and medication adherence. However, disclosure of either HIV diagnosis or sexual identity presents a significant challenge in many cultures, especially in the low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) where both people living with HIV (PLWH) and homosexual behaviors are strongly stigmatized and discriminated against. In this talk, I will discuss the concepts and theoretical frameworks regarding HIV-related disclosure, describe factors that influence disclosure, and introduce the studies conducted in parents living with HIV, children affected by HIV, and men have sex with men. These findings will inform the public health interventions and policy making.

Bio: Dr. Shan Qiao has academic background of both social sciences (BA in Sociology at Peking University, MA in Anthology at University of Western Ontario) and public health (PhD at Johns Hopkins University) and is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior at the University of South Carolina in USA. Shan’s research focuses on disclosure, behavioral intervention, HIV prevention and care, and global health. She has been guest editors for two special issues on HIV disclosure for international academic journals (AIDS and AIDS Care) and published over 40 papers in peer reviewed journals.

Host: Dr. Guangyu Zhou