HIV Insight: HIV Infected Women

Showing posts with label HIV Infected Women. Show all posts

Monday, March 21, 2016

Substance Use Patterns of HIV-Infected Russian Women With and Without Hepatitis C Virus Co-infection

Individuals with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection may experience substance use related health complications. This study characterized substance use patterns between HIV/HCV co-infected and HIV mono-infected Russian women. HIV-infected women (N = 247; M age = 30.0) in St. Petersburg, Russia, completed a survey assessing substance use, problematic substance use, and the co-occurrence of substance use and sexual behaviors.

Covariate adjusted logistic and linear regression analyses indicated that HIV/HCV co-infected participants (57.1 %) reported more lifetime drug use (e.g., heroin), problem drinking, substance use problems, and increased likelihood of past injection drug use relative to HIV mono-infected individuals. HIV/HCV co-infection was prevalent and associated with increased substance use and problematic drug use.

Findings highlight the need for ongoing substance use and HIV/HCV risk behavior assessment and treatment among HIV/HCV co-infected Russian women.

Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/SntQHM

By: Brown JL1, DiClemente RJ2,3,4, Sales JM2,3, Rose ES2, Safonova P5, Levina OS6, Belyakov N7, Rassokhin VV5.

1Addiction Sciences Division, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3131 Harvey Avenue, Suite 104, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA. jennifer.brown2@uc.edu.
2Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
3Centers for AIDS Research, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
4Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
5St. Petersburg AIDS Center, St. Petersburg, Russia.
6Stellit, St. Petersburg, Russia.
7North-West Regional Center for Control and Prevention of AIDS, St. Petersburg, Russia.
AIDS Behav. 2016 Mar 19.

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Monday, March 14, 2016

Social and Structural Determinants of Cervical Health among Women Engaged in HIV Care

Cervical cancer prevention/control efforts among women living with HIV/AIDS (WLH) are socially and structurally challenging. Healthcare access and perceived HIV stigma and discrimination are factors that may challenge risk reduction efforts. This study examined socio-structural determinants of cervical cancer screening among women engaged in HIV care.

One hundred forty-five WLH seeking health/social services from AIDS Service Organizations in the southeastern US completed a questionnaire assessing factors related to cervical cancer prevention/control.

90% were African American, mean age 46.15 ± 10.65 years.
81% had a Pap test <1 year ago.
Low healthcare access was positively associated with having a Pap test <1 year ago.
About 36 % reported ≥2 Pap tests during the first year after HIV diagnosis.
Lower educational attainment was positively associated with having ≥2 Pap tests.
35% reported more frequent Pap tests after diagnosis.
Lower income was moderately associated with more frequent Pap tests post-diagnosis.

Findings highlight the successes of HIV initiatives targeting socio-economically disadvantaged women and provide evidence that health policy aimed at providing and expanding healthcare access for vulnerable WLH has beneficial health implications.

Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/7G4ei9

By: Bynum SA1, Wigfall LT2,3,4, Brandt HM4,5, Julious CH6, Glover SH2,3, Hébert JR4,7.

1Division of AIDS, Behavioral, and Population Sciences, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA. shalanda.bynum@nih.gov.
2Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
3Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
4South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
5Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
6Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services, Inc., Columbia, SC, USA.
7Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
AIDS Behav. 2016 Mar 8.