The British Columbia Positive Women's Survey: a detailed profile of 110 HIV-infected women.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the health, social environment, medical care received and satisfaction with medical care of HIV-infected women in British Columbia.

DESIGN

Self-administered 75-item questionnaire distributed by mail or in person between March 1994 and February 1996 through community AIDS organizations and physicians' offices.

SETTING

British Columbia.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 110 HIV-positive women.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Sociodemographic data, risk factors for HIV infection, details about HIV testing, health status and medical treatment, use of health care services, degree of satisfaction with medical care and psychosocial stressors.

RESULTS

Most of the women surveyed were aged 25 to 39 years (70.0%), were Canadian born (76.4%) and were white (80.9%). Over one-third did not complete high school, and half had an annual household income of less than $20,000. Of the 110 women 51.8% had children, who were HIV-positive in 12.3% of cases. The most frequently reported risk factor for HIV infection was sex with a man (49.1%); 19.1% reported both sex with a man and injection drug use, and 12.7% reported injection drug use only. Seventy-five women indicated that they had become infected through sex with a man, with or without injection drug use. Of these, 65 indicated whether or not this was the result of sexual assault or rape; 8 (12.3%) answered affirmatively. Of the 81 women who responded to the question regarding prior sexual assault or abuse, 43 (53.1%) reported being sexually assaulted as an adult, 35 (43.2%) reported being sexually abused as a child, and 22 (27.2%) reported being sexually abused or assaulted both as a child and as an adult. Women who were sexually abused as a child were more likely than those who were not abused as a child to have injection drug use as a risk factor (54.3% v. 7.5%). Menstrual cycle changes were reported by 70.1% of the respondents. Most women stated that they had not received adequate pre- or post-test counselling, and 47.0% were not satisfied with their doctor's care. Psychosocial concerns identified to be of greatest importance were financial problems, lack of intimacy or satisfying sexual relationship, and fear of rejection or discrimination.

CONCLUSION

Several important concerns for HIV-positive women were identified, including dissatisfaction with medical care, fear of discrimination, violence and abuse, and poverty.