The Straightpoz study: men and women living heterosexually with HIV

Past project
Chronic Health Conditions
HIV & Sexual Health

This qualitative longitudinal study was conducted between 2004 and 2010 in collaboration with the Heterosexual HIV/AIDS Service NSW (Pozhet). The aim of this project, the first of its kind on Australia, was to identify and explore a range of issues significant to men and women living heterosexually with HIV in NSW. During the life of the study, 48 HIV-positive heterosexuals and HIV-negative partners participated in up to three interviews. The first phase of interviews was completed in 2005, focusing on diagnosis, stigma, disclosure, relationships, sexuality, social connectedness and contact with services and the positive community. The second phase was completed in 2007, focusing on health, treatments, interactions with health workers/services, and sexual practice. The third phase was completed in late 2009, focusing on changes over time and on the potential knowledge and impact of the newly released Swiss Consensus Statement. Findings from the study have helped to draw attention to the experiences and needs of a previously hidden and under-researched population in the local HIV epidemic. The study has provided an important basis for program development and delivery for those living heterosexually with HIV and also increase understanding of the intersections of sexuality, gender and illness. Findings have been disseminated through two research monographs, several peer-reviewed journals, and multiple community media articles, conference presentations, health promotion resources, and research feedback workshops.

Funding Agency

NSW Health, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

Partners / Collaborators

Pozhet

Peer-reviewed journal articles
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Persson, A. (2012). The undoing and doing of sexual identity among HIV-positive heterosexual men in Australia. Men and Masculinities, 15(3), 311-328. http://dx.doi.org.10.1177/1097184X12450015

Persson, A. (2011). HIV-negativity in serodiscordant relationships: The absence, enactment, and liminality of serostatus identity. Medical Anthropology, 30(6), 569-590. http://dx.doi.org.10.1080/01459740.2011.561456

Persson, A. (2010). Reflections on the Swiss Consensus Statement in the context of qualitative interviews with heterosexuals living with HIV. AIDS Care, 22(12), 1487-1492. http://dx.doi.org.10.1080/09540121.2010.482122

Persson, A., & Richards, W. (2008). Vulnerability, gender and “proxy negativity”: HIV-negative women in serodiscordant relationships in Australia. Social Science & Medicine, 67, 799-807.

Persson, A. (2008.) Sero-sharing and sero-silence: Managing HIV in serodiscordant heterosexual relationships. AIDS Care, 20(4), 503-506.

Persson, A. and Richards, W. (2008) From closet to heterotopia: A conceptual exploration of disclosure and passing among heterosexuals living with HIV. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 10(1), 73-86.

Related journal articles
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Persson, A. (2014). ‘I don’t blame that guy that gave it to me’: Contested discourses of victimisation and culpability in the narratives of women infected with HIV. AIDS Care, 26(2), 233-239. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2013.811207

Persson, A. (2013) Non/infectious corporealities: Tensions in the biomedical era of ‘HIV normalisation’. Sociology of Health & Illness, 35(7), 1065-1079. http://dx.doi.org.10.1111/1467-9566.12023

Newman, C.E., Persson, A., Paquette, D., Kidd, M.R. (2013) The new cultural politics of the waiting room: Straight men, gay-friendly clinics and ‘inclusive’ HIV care. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 10(2), 87-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13178-013-0111-z

Persson, A. (2012) Notes on the concepts of ‘serodiscordance’ and ‘risk’ in couples with mixed HIV status. Global Public Health, 8(2), 209-220. http://dx.doi.org.10.1080/17441692.2012.729219

Newman, C. and Persson, A. (2009) Fear, complacency and the spectacle of risk: The making of HIV as a public concern in Australia. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, 13(7), 7-23.

Persson, A. and Newman, C. (2008) Making monsters: Heterosexuality, crime and race in recent Western media coverage of HIV. Sociology of Health and Illness, 30(4), 632-646.

Community HIV media
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Persson, A. (2009). Heterosexuals living with HIV and the Swiss Consensus Statement. Talkabout, 164, 15-18.

Persson, A. (2009). Women, HIV, and the heterosexual encounter. Featured series in four editions of the Positive Women Victoria Member Newsletter, July, August, September, and October.

Persson, A. (2009). Understandings of safer sex: Findings from the second phase of the Straightpoz study. Talkabout, 161, 15-17.

Persson, A. (2008). Positive heterosexuals and doctors: Findings from the second phase of the Straightpoz study. Talkabout, 159, 10-12.

Persson, A. (2007). Communication, Silence and Serodiscordance. Talkabout, 151, 19-21.

Persson, A., Barton, D., & Richards, W. (2007). Get it Straight: HIV and Heterosexuality, HIV Australia, 5(4), 14-15.

Persson, A. and Barton, D. (2007) Masculinity and Sexuality in the Context of Heterosexual HIV, HIV Australia, 5 (4): 20-21.

Resources
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“HIV is still here” (December 2009). HIV awareness video targeting heterosexuals, based on Straightpoz material, produced by Heterosexual HIV/AIDS Service NSW for World AIDS Day (collaboration and consultation). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gZm0XF2v_k

Conference presentations
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Persson, A. (2012). “Risk and “responsibility” in the narratives of women diagnosed with HIV. 24th Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference, Melbourne (October)

Persson, A. (2012). Critical reflections on the concept of “risk” in serodiscordant couples. Silence&Articulation: The 12th Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis and Related Diseases, Sydney (April)

Newman, C., Persson, A., Paquette, D. & Kidd, M. (2012.) “Straight” men and “gay” clinics: the changing cultural politics of Australian HIV health services. The 12th Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis and Related Diseases, Sydney (April)

Persson, A. (2011). Risk in serodiscordant couples: Context and culture. Invited plenary presentation AIDS Impact, Santa Fe, USA (September)

Persson, A. (2011.) Non/infectious bodies: A qualitative analysis of HIV corporeality in the wake of the Swiss Consensus Statement. IASSCS VIII Conference: Naming and Framing: The Making of Sexual (In)Equality, Madrid, Spain (July)

Persson, A. (2010). Serodifference, sexual practice, and the Swiss Consensus Statement (Invited paper). The XVIII International AIDS Conference, Vienna (July).

Persson, A. (2010). HIV-negativity in serodiscordant relationships: Absence, enactments, liminality. The XVII ISA World Congress of Sociology, Gothenburg (July).

Persson, A. (2010). Serostatus identity? HIV-negativity in serodiscordant heterosexual couples. Evolving Knowledge & Practice: The 11th Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases, UNSW, Sydney (April).

Reakes, K., Persson, A., & Elkaim, J. (2010). Heterosexual men, HIV and masculinity. Evolving Knowledge & Practice: The 11th Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases, UNSW, Sydney (April).

Persson, A. (2009). Does the Swiss Consensus Statement matter to heterosexuals living with HIV? 21st Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, Brisbane (September)

Reakes, K., Persson, A., &Manolas, P. (2009). Unity in diversity: Working with people living heterosexually with HIV. 21st Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, Brisbane (September)

Persson, A. (2009). Reflections on the Swiss Consensus Statement in the context of qualitative interviews with HIV-discordant heterosexual couples. 19th WAS World Congress for Sexual Health, Gothenburg, Sweden (June).

Newman, C. and Persson, A. (2008). The Making of HIV as a Public Concern: Three Themes in the Contemporary Australian News Coverage of HIV. 20th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, Perth (September).

Persson, A., & Richards, W. (2008). Serodiscordance, Sex and Heteronormalcy: Women in Relationships with HIV-Positive Men. Everyday Lives: The 10th Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases, UNSW, Sydney (March).

Persson, A., & Newman, C. (2008). Making Monsters: Heterosexuality, Crime and Race in Recent Western Media Coverage of HIV. Everyday Lives: The 10th Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases, UNSW, Sydney (March).

Persson, A. (2007). Sero-sharing and Sero-silence: Managing HIV in Serodiscordant Heterosexual Relationships. 8th International AIDS Impact Conference, Marseilles (July).

Persson, A., & Barton, D. (2006). Get it Straight: HIV and Heterosexuality (Symposium), StigmaPleasurePractice: The 9th Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases, UNSW, Sydney (April).

Persson, A., & Barton, D. (2006). Masculinity and Sexuality in the Context of Heterosexual HIV, StigmaPleasurePractice: The 9th Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases, UNSW, Sydney (April).

Fogarty, A., & Persson, A. (2006). Straight Talking: Disclosure and Silence among Heterosexuals Living with HIV/AIDS, StigmaPleasurePractice: The 9th Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases, UNSW, Sydney (April).

Persson, A., & Barton, D. (2005). Entering the Closet: Living with HIV Heterosexually, 17th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, Hobart (August).

Related People
Organisational units
lensCentre for Social Research in Health