Marseille 2007
| Abstract #258 - Gender differences in HIV service use in a national sample of HIV positive Australians | ||||
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Session: 43.2: Access and models of care (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 16.30-18.30 in CP Chaired by Joseph Okone, Martha Nthenge Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Rachel Thorpe - LaTrobe University, Australia |
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| Additional Authors: Ms Rachel Thorpe, Dr Jeffrey Grierson, Prof Marian Pitts, | ||||
| Aim: The experiences of living with HIV have had clear gender differences in Australia, often due to different experiences of antiretroviral treatments, but also as a result of differing domestic situations and use of different types of health services. This paper examines the pattern of these over a period of eight years. | ||||
| Method / Issue: The results reported here are drawn from the HIV Futures surveys, five cross-sectional, self-complete, Australian nationwide studies of multiple aspects of the lives of PLWHA, both clinical and social. The study was conducted in 1997 (N=925), 1999 (N=924), 2001 (N=894), 2003 (N=1059) and 2005 (N=973). Approximately 9% of respondents to each survey were women. The mean ages for women and men for the five samples were: (36.0 v 39.6), (38.2 v 42.5), (38.2 v 43.3), (40.5 v 44.5) and (45.0 v 46.0) (all results women then men). | ||||
| Results / Comments: In each of the samples (except 1997), women were significantly more likely than men to live in outer suburban areas, rather than in the inner suburbs of capital cities, where HIV-specific health services are more likely to be located. Women were also significantly more likely to have dependent children. Compared with men, women were less likely to see HIV GPs both for HIV-related treatment and for general medical treatment. They were also more likely to see different doctors for HIV-related treatment and for general medical treatment. Women were more likely to report discrimination at medical services due to HIV at each time-point except 2005, with only 9.8% of women in 2005 reporting discrimination in the previous two years compared with 22.2% in 2003 and 35.1% in 2001. Similarly, reported experiences of unwanted disclosure of HIV status have decreased over time, with 19.8% of women in 2005 reporting unwanted disclosure of status in the past two years compared with 36.6% in 2003 and 35.1% in 2001. However, women were more likely than men to report unwanted disclosure of HIV status at each time-point. Womens experiences of employment have also changed over time, with women being increasingly likely to report working full-time, rather than part-time and to nominate salary as their main source of income. However in 2005, almost half of female respondents reported their main source of income was a social security benefit or pension, and almost one-third were living below the poverty line. | ||||
| Discussion: The experiences of women living with HIV in Australia have historically differed from those of men in several domains, however from these data it appears that despite women continuing to use different health services, in areas such as discrimination at medical services and unwanted disclosure, these differences have lessened over time. These data also indicate that the financial status of some HIV positive women is improving as women are more likely to be engaged in full-time employment. However despite these improvements, a significant proportion of women continue to experience economic hardship. | ||||
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