social context of disclosing hiv test results: hiv testing in tanzania

training was directed by Dr. P. Stanley Yoder of Macro International and assisted by
Prof. Joe L.P. Lugalla from the Centre for Strategic Research and Development
(CESTRE). Also participating in this training was Mr. Charles Mlwande Madihi from the
Dar es Salaam Institute of Social Work (sociologist and demographer); Dr. Huruma L.
Sigalla from the Department of Sociology at the University of Dar es Salaam; and Nipael
E. Mrutu from CESTRE (medical anthropologist). The last three were also responsible
for field supervision in both sites.
The training focused on the principles and usefulness of qualitative research, the
general approach of the study, and the important research questions being pursued. The
trainees were exposed to different methods of interviewing, how to motivate respondents
to talk, and the skills of running a good conversation that motivates the respondent to talk
about issues that are of great importance to the study. They were trained how to introduce
themselves to the respondent, how to establish a personal connection, and how to
carefully listen throughout the conversation.
During the training the topics and questions were revised in group discussions.
The topics and questions were arranged to begin first with general issues such as
demographic characteristics, family ties, hobbies, and social relationships, followed by
more specific questions about knowledge and practices related to HIV/AIDS. Because the
original interview guidelines were in English, translation of topics and questions into
Swahili was done during the training so research assistants could participate in finalizing
the instruments. All interviews were to be conducted in Swahili. The English version of
the interview guidelines can be found in Appendix 1.
4.6 Methods of Data Collection
The conversation guides developed were structured and open-ended so the
interviews would follow normal styles of conversation more than a question-and-answer
sequence. These conversation guides made it possible to listen to narratives and accounts
about social relations, the taking of an HIV test, and thoughts about showing or
concealing their test results. The guides were sufficiently flexible for the interviewers to
encourage interviewees to discuss questions in any order that they desired. Although they
all followed a similar form, three types of conversation guides were developed to direct
discussions with three groups of respondents:
• A conversation guideline for respondents who had just recently taken an HIV test
(new cases).
• A conversation guideline for people living with HIV/AIDS.
• A conversation guideline for health workers, particularly counsellors working in
VCT centres that were included in this study.
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