Does Service Integration Improve The Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare of Women Living With HIV?

The sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH) needs of a cohort of HIV-positive women were studied pre- and post-integration of Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) and SRH services. 

Pre-integration 24.9% of women at risk of pregnancy were using an effective method of contraception, with a non-significant improvement post-integration to 39.3%. Pre-integration 47.6% of pregnancies were unplanned, 50% were still unplanned post-integration. Cervical cytology uptake within the last 12 months improved significantly. 

It appears that the integration of services alone does not improve all aspects the SRH of women living with HIV and additional novel strategies should be explored.

Via: http://ht.ly/Sv4pu  Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/OOPJ8R

By: Wielding S1, Flynn B2.

• 1Chalmers Centre, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, UK
• 2Chalmers Centre, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, UK