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October 12, 2007

Survey Shows Communication Gap Between HIV-Positive Women and Doctors

Findings from the Women Living Positive survey show that there is a communication gap between health care providers and women living with HIV when it comes to treatment options that meet their individual needs. An estimated 300,000 women in the United States now live with HIV or AIDS.

Fifty-five percent of the women surveyed say they have never discussed with their health care provider how HIV medications might affect them differently than men. Of the remaining 45%, most reported that their health care provider answered their questions to their satisfaction and that they were comfortable discussing the issue.

Most of the women diagnosed with HIV in the United States are of childbearing age. Each year more than 6,000 HIV-positive women in the United States give birth. The survey shows many HIV-positive women and their health care providers aren't discussing how HIV treatment options might affect a pregnancy until after they conceive. Fifty-seven percent of women surveyed who are or have been pregnant did not discuss either pregnancy or appropriate HIV treatments for pregnancy with their health care provider before becoming pregnant.

"With the rise of HIV infections in women, it is important to understand their struggles and unique issues when evaluating their care and treatment options," says Kathleen Squires, director of Infectious Diseases and Environmental Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and professor of medicine at Jefferson Medical College. "Women living with HIV need to work with their health care provider to discuss important topics including their emotional well-being, family planning considerations, and care that best meets their health history and lifestyle."  

"The Women Living Positive survey concludes that there is a communication gap between women and their health care providers when discussing HIV treatment options appropriate for them," says Dawn Averitt Bridge, founder and chair of the board of the Well Project, a nonprofit organization for women affected by HIV. "We hope the survey findings will encourage discussion between women and their health care providers about HIV medications that best meet their individual needs. The good news is the survey found that, when these types of conversations happened, the majority of women were satisfied and comfortable with the experience."   

Conducted by phone between December 21 and March 14, the survey compiles responses from 700 HIV-positive women who have been on anti-HIV medications for at least three years. For more information about the Women Living Positive survey, visit www.thewellproject.org. The site also provides comprehensive information about HIV and provides tools and resources for women living with the disease in English and in Spanish. (The Advocate)

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