ArticleSexually transmitted infections2003
Psychosocial impact of serological diagnosis of herpes simplex virus type 2: a qualitative assessment.
Article in Sexually transmitted infections, 2003. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 79 citations in OpenAlex.
- Estimated economic burden of genital herpes and HIV attributable to herpes simplex virus type 2 infections in 90 low- and middle-income countries: A modeling study.PLoS medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Disclosure of HSV-2 serological test results in the context of an adolescent HIV prevention trial in Kenya.Sexually transmitted infections · 2015Trial
- Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and Type 2 Western Blot Serology Test Results From 1999 to 2020 in a US Reference Laboratory.Sexually transmitted diseases · 2026Article
- Immunization with Herpes Simplex Virus Nanoparticles Targeting Both Attachment and Fusion Protect Against Infection.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Navigating an STI diagnosis: The role of social support, intergenerational learning, and transformative growth among Black women.American journal of community psychology · 2026Article
- Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Screening in Persons with and Without HIV: Evidence, Challenges, and Future Directions.Current HIV/AIDS reports · 2026Review
- Real-Life Experiences of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Genital Herpes in the United States: A Structured Literature Review and Qualitative Concept Elicitation Study.Infectious diseases and therapy · 2025Article
- Does genital herpes symptom history predict herpes simplex virus type 2 antibody positivity?International journal of STD & AIDS · 2024Article
- Exploring the psychosexual impact and disclosure experiences of women testing positive for high-risk cervical human papillomavirus.British journal of health psychology · 2023Article
- Concerns about disclosing a high-risk cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to a sexual partner: a systematic review and thematic synthesis.BMJ sexual & reproductive health · 2020Review
- Genital herpes stigma: Toward the Measurement and Validation of a highly prevalent yet hidden public health problem.Stigma and health · 2018Article
- Factors associated with psychological distress among young women in Kisumu, Kenya.International journal of women's health · 2017Article
- Coping strategies and behavioural changes following a genital herpes diagnosis among an urban sample of underserved Midwestern women.International journal of STD & AIDS · 2016Article
- Young women's Representations of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (RoSTD): a psychometric study.Research in nursing & health · 2012Article
- Article
- Temperament, Context and Sexual Risk among College Students.Nursing research and practice · 2011Article
- Testing for asymptomatic herpes simplex virus type 2: implications for pretest and post-test counseling.Current infectious disease reports · 2007Article
- Social and psychological impact of HPV testing in cervical screening: a qualitative study.Sexually transmitted infections · 2006Article
- The psychosocial impact of serological diagnosis of asymptomatic herpes simplex virus type 2 infection.Sexually transmitted infections · 2006Article
- Sexual behaviour and condom use among individuals with a history of symptomatic genital herpes.Sexually transmitted infections · 2006Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo assess the emotional and psychosocial responses to a serological diagnosis of HSV-2 infection in individuals without previous history of genital herpes.
methods24 individuals who had a positive HSV-2 serology by western blot and no clinical history of disease were recruited from four clinics (sexually transmitted disease, maternal and infant care, family medicine, and virology research) over a 10 month period. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted to elicit an individual's responses to the HSV-2 diagnosis.
resultsThree categories of themes were identified from the interviews. Short term emotional responses included surprise, denial, confusion, distress, sadness, disappointment, and relief to know. Short term psychosocial responses included fear of telling sex partners, anger at the source partner, guilt about acquiring or transmitting, and concern about transmitting to a child. Perceived ongoing responses included fear of telling future partners, concern about transmitting to a sex partner, feeling sexually undesirable, feeling socially stigmatised, feeling like "damaged goods," sex avoidance due to social responsibility, fear of transmitting to a newborn, and relationship concerns relating to the diagnosis.
conclusionsIndividuals exhibit strong emotional and psychosocial responses to a serological diagnosis of HSV-2 infection. Many of the negative responses may be time limited and influenced by factors that are potentially amenable to counselling.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.