1
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Hampton CJ, Gillum TL. 'It changes everything': the impact of HIV-related stigma on sexual health and intimacy among African American women. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2022; 24:1619-1633. [PMID: 34686111 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2021.1990411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the experiences of sexual health and intimacy among African American women living with HIV, who account for more than 50% of the women living with HIV in the USA. Public discourse surrounding the sexual health of this population often centres on HIV prevention and transmission. Medical advances such as antiretroviral therapy, biomedical interventions to prevent transmission, and treatment as prevention campaigns highlight the changing trajectory of the illness and the need for a more comprehensive examination of sexuality in relation to HIV-related disease. HIV-related stigma has been found to play a pivotal role in these experiences impacting the self-perceptions, interpersonal relationships and sexual behaviours of women living with HIV. This study utilised a phenomenological approach to examine the ways in which HIV-related stigma impacts the sexual health and experiences of intimacy among African American women living with HIV. In depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews with 16 African American women in Upstate New York revealed three emergent themes: (1) rejecting relationships; (2) navigating relationships; and (3) processing sexuality. Findings from the study highlight the ways in which HIV-related stigma affects the sexual health of African American women living with HIV and subsequently results in the renegotiation of sexuality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tameka L Gillum
- Department of Psychology, Russell Sage College, Troy, NY, USA
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2
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Carter A, Gormley B, Muchenje M, Zhu D, Patterson S, Kestler M, Hankins C, Logie CH, Brotto LA, Tharao W, Lee M, Li J, Ding E, de Pokomandy A, Loutfy M, Kaida A. Prevalence and correlates of sexual concerns and associated distress among women living with HIV in Canada. WOMEN'S HEALTH 2022; 18:17455065221074877. [PMID: 35088623 PMCID: PMC8801632 DOI: 10.1177/17455065221074877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: We assessed the prevalence and correlates of sexual concerns and associated distress among women living with HIV in Canada. Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from the Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (2017–2018). Self-identified women living with HIV were asked about sexual concerns post-HIV diagnosis and associated distress (none, mild, moderate, severe). Five areas of concern were assessed, including difficulties related to sexual self-esteem, sexual function, relationships, and emotional and behavioral aspects of sex. Logistic regression analyses identified correlates of reporting any sexual concerns and severe distress about these concerns. Results: Of 906 participants (median age 48, Q1–Q3 = 41–55), 596 (65.8%) reported sexual concerns post-HIV diagnosis. We found a high prevalence of concerns related to relationships (43.3%), sexual self-esteem (49.4%), and emotional aspects of sex (45.4%), relative to sexual functioning (38.4%) and behavioral aspects (33.7%). Of those with sexual concerns, 36.7% reported severe distress. Reports of severe distress were the highest for relationship difficulties (32.5%), relative to other areas of concern (21.4%–22.8%). In adjusted analyses, women reporting sexual dissatisfaction and high HIV-related stigma had significantly higher odds of reporting sexual concerns. Conversely, those reporting higher resilience, better mental health, African, Caribbean, and Black identity, and sex as somewhat unimportant, not at all important, or neutral to their lives had lower adjusted odds. Factors associated with severe distress about sexual concerns included older age, body dissatisfaction, sexual dissatisfaction, and high HIV-related stigma, while better mental health and getting support from someone living with HIV were protective. While 84.4% of women had discussed with a provider how viral load impacts transmission risk, only 40.6% had conversations about sexual wellbeing. Conclusion: More attention to women’s sexual wellbeing within social and relational contexts is critical to ensure the sexual rights of women living with HIV are upheld.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Carter
- Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Human Rights Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Becky Gormley
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Marvelous Muchenje
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Denise Zhu
- Faculty of Science, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sophie Patterson
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Mary Kestler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Oak Tree Clinic, British Columbia Women’s Hospital and Healthcare Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Catherine Hankins
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Carmen H Logie
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lori A Brotto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Women’s Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Melanie Lee
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Jenny Li
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Erin Ding
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Mona Loutfy
- Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Angela Kaida
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Women’s Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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3
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Herron LM, Mutch A, Lui CW, Kruizinga L, Howard C, Fitzgerald L. Enduring stigma and precarity: A review of qualitative research examining the experiences of women living with HIV in high income countries over two decades. Health Care Women Int 2021; 43:313-344. [PMID: 34534051 DOI: 10.1080/07399332.2021.1959589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The lived experience of HIV for women remains poorly understood. In particular, there has been little attention to the consequences for women living with HIV (WLHIV) of changing social, epidemiological, biomedical and policy contexts, or to the implications of long-term treatment and aging for the current generation of HIV-positive women. We reviewed qualitative research with WLHIV in selected high-income countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA) to identify the most prevalent experiences of HIV for women and trends over time. Our synthesis highlights the relative consistency of experiences of a diverse sample of WLHIV, particularly the enduring prevalence of gendered HIV-related stigma, sociostructural barriers to healthcare and support, and negative encounters with health professionals. We also identified gaps in knowledge. Understanding women's experiences, particularly their changing needs and strategies for coping as they live long-term with HIV, is key to effective support and services for WLHIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Maree Herron
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Allyson Mutch
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chi-Wai Lui
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lara Kruizinga
- Queensland Positive People, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chris Howard
- Queensland Positive People, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lisa Fitzgerald
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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4
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Carter A, Anam F, Sanchez M, Roche J, Wynne ST, Stash J, Webster K, Nicholson V, Patterson S, Kaida A. Radical Pleasure: Feminist Digital Storytelling by, with, and for Women Living with HIV. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:83-103. [PMID: 33231828 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01822-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite the fact that HIV can be controlled with medication to undetectable levels where it cannot be passed on, stigmatization of women living with HIV persists. Such stigmatization pivots on stereotypes around sex and sexism and has force in women's lives. Our aim was to create an inspirational resource for women living with HIV regarding sex, relationships, and sexuality: www.lifeandlovewithhiv.ca (launched in July 2018). This paper describes the development and mixed-method evaluation of our first year and a half activities. We situated our work within a participatory arts-based knowledge translation planning framework and used multiple data sources (Google Analytics, stories and comments on the website, team reflections over multiple meetings) to report on interim outcomes and impacts. In our first 1.5 years, we recruited and mentored 12 women living with HIV from around the world (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa, Spain, Nigeria, and the U.S.) to write their own stories, with the support of a mentor/editor, as a way of regaining control of HIV narratives and asserting their right to have pleasurable, fulfilling, and safer sexual lives. Writers published 43 stories about pleasure, orgasm, bodies, identities, trauma, resilience, dating, disclosure, self-love, and motherhood. Our social media community grew to 1600, and our website received approximately 300 visits per month, most by women (70%) and people aged 25-44 years (65%), from more than 50 cities globally, with shifts in use and demographics over time. Qualitative data indicated the power of feminist digital storytelling for opportunity, access, validation, and healing, though not without risks. We offer recommendations to others interested in using arts-based digital methods to advance social equity in sexual health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Carter
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Level 6, Wallace, Wurth Building, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
| | - Florence Anam
- Medécins Sans Frontières, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Margarite Sanchez
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- ViVA Women, Positive Living Society of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - S T Wynne
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Just Stash
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Kath Webster
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Valerie Nicholson
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | | | - Angela Kaida
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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5
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Braun V, Clarke V. Can I use TA? Should I use TA? Should I
not
use TA? Comparing reflexive thematic analysis and other pattern‐based qualitative analytic approaches. COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/capr.12360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Braun
- School of Psychology The University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
| | - Victoria Clarke
- Department of Health and Social Sciences University of the West of England Bristol UK
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6
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Stanton AM, Goodman G, Looby SE, Robbins GK, Psaros C. Sexuality and Intimacy Among Older Women Living with HIV: a Systematic Review. CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS 2019; 11:320-330. [PMID: 34045930 DOI: 10.1007/s11930-019-00227-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Sexual well-being and intimacy are critical to overall quality of life and retain a high degree of significance for aging individuals, even though these considerations are often overlooked in older populations. Sexual health may be particularly impacted in older individuals living with HIV, especially women, as a result of both physical and psychosocial disease-specific factors. Despite this, sexuality research related to HIV has traditionally focused on risk reduction, rather than on other elements of sexual wellness. In this review, we examine several aspects of sexual well-being that may be important to older women living with HIV (OWLH). Recent Findings This review summarizes existing literature on sexuality in OWLH over the age of 50 and explores five themes related to sexual health: physical and emotional intimacy, desire/interest, satisfaction/pleasure, frequency of sexual activity, and abstinence. Reduced intimacy among OWLH was reported across most studies, due to stigma and disclosure concerns, lack of opportunity for relationships, and difficulty communicating sexual preferences. Data on sexual desire/interest and satisfaction/pleasure among OWLH were mixed. Frequency of sexual activity varied widely across studies, and abstinence emerged as both an intentional and inadvertent decision for OWLH. Factors related to menopause as it relates to sexuality and HIV are also discussed. Summary Sexual health and well-being are important to women living with HIV over 50, though key components such as intimacy, desire, and pleasure remain poorly understood. As this population continues to grow, comprehensive and age-specific interventions are needed to examine positive aspects of sexuality and promote sexual wellness among OWLH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia M Stanton
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Georgia Goodman
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara E Looby
- Program in Nutritional Metabolism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gregory K Robbins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christina Psaros
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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7
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Carter A, Greene S, Money D, Sanchez M, Webster K, Nicholson V, Brotto LA, Hankins C, Kestler M, Pick N, Salters K, Proulx-Boucher K, O'Brien N, Patterson S, de Pokomandy A, Loutfy M, Kaida A. Love with HIV: A Latent Class Analysis of Sexual and Intimate Relationship Experiences Among Women Living with HIV in Canada. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2019; 48:1015-1040. [PMID: 30891711 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-1418-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2017] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Love remains hidden in HIV research in favor of a focus on risk. Among 1424 women living with HIV in Canada, we explored (1) whether eight facets of sex and intimacy (marital status, sexual activity, physical intimacy, emotional closeness, power equity, sexual exclusivity, relationship duration, and couple HIV serostatus) may coalesce into distinct relationship types, and (2) how these relationship types may be linked to love as well as various social, psychological, and structural factors. Five latent classes were identified: no relationship (46.5%), relationships without sex (8.6%), and three types of sexual relationships-short term (15.4%), long term/unhappy (6.4%), and long term/happy (23.2%, characterized by equitable power, high levels of physical and emotional closeness, and mainly HIV-negative partners). While women in long-term/happy relationships were most likely to report feeling love for and wanted by someone "all of the time," love was not exclusive to sexual or romantic partners and a sizeable proportion of women reported affection across latent classes. Factors independently associated with latent class membership included age, children living at home, sexism/genderism, income, sex work, violence, trauma, depression, HIV treatment, awareness of treatment's prevention benefits, and HIV-related stigma. Findings reveal the diversity of women's experiences with respect to love, sex, and relationships and draw attention to the sociostructural factors shaping intimate partnering in the context of HIV. A nuanced focus on promoting healthy relationships and supportive social environments may offer a more comprehensive approach to supporting women's overall sexual health and well-being than programs focused solely on sexual risk reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Carter
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall Room 10522, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
- Epidemiology and Population Health, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Saara Greene
- School of Social Work, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Deborah Money
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Margarite Sanchez
- ViVA, Positive Living Society of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kath Webster
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall Room 10522, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Valerie Nicholson
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall Room 10522, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Lori A Brotto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Catherine Hankins
- Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), Department of Global Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mary Kestler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Neora Pick
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Oak Tree Clinic, British Columbia Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kate Salters
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall Room 10522, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
- Epidemiology and Population Health, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Karène Proulx-Boucher
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nadia O'Brien
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sophie Patterson
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall Room 10522, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
- Department of Public Health and Policy, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Alexandra de Pokomandy
- Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mona Loutfy
- Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Angela Kaida
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall Room 10522, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
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8
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Carter A, Greene S, Money D, Sanchez M, Webster K, Nicholson V, Brotto LA, Hankins C, Kestler M, Pick N, Salters K, Proulx-Boucher K, O'Brien N, Patterson S, de Pokomandy A, Loutfy M, Kaida A. Supporting the Sexual Rights of Women Living With HIV: A Critical Analysis of Sexual Satisfaction and Pleasure Across Five Relationship Types. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2018; 55:1134-1154. [PMID: 29624080 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1440370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a focus on protecting others has overridden concern about women's own sexual well-being. Drawing on feminist theories, we measured sexual satisfaction and pleasure across five relationship types among women living with HIV in Canada. Of the 1,230 women surveyed, 38.1% were completely or very satisfied with their sexual lives, while 31.0% and 30.9% were reasonably or not very/not at all satisfied, respectively. Among those reporting recent sexual experiences (n = 675), 41.3% always felt pleasure, with the rest reporting usually/sometimes (38.7%) or seldom/not at all (20.0%). Sex did not equate with satisfaction or pleasure, as some women were completely satisfied without sex, while others were having sex without reporting pleasure. After adjusting for confounding factors, such as education, violence, depression, sex work, antiretroviral therapy, and provider discussions about transmission risk, women in long-term/happy relationships (characterized by higher levels of love, greater physical and emotional intimacy, more equitable relationship power, and mainly HIV-negative partners) had increased odds of sexual satisfaction and pleasure relative to women in all other relational contexts. Those in relationships without sex also reported higher satisfaction ratings than women in some sexual relationships. Findings put focus on women's rights, which are critical to overall well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Carter
- a Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University
- b Epidemiology and Population Health , British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
| | | | - Deborah Money
- d Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine , University of British Columbia
| | | | - Kath Webster
- a Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University
| | | | - Lori A Brotto
- f Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine , University of British Columbia
| | - Catherine Hankins
- g Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Department of Global Health , University of Amsterdam
- h Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine , McGill University
| | - Mary Kestler
- i Division of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine , University of British Columbia
| | - Neora Pick
- i Division of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine , University of British Columbia
- j Oak Tree Clinic , British Columbia Women's Hospital and Health Centre
| | - Kate Salters
- a Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University
- b Epidemiology and Population Health , British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
| | | | - Nadia O'Brien
- k Chronic Viral Illness Service , McGill University Health Centre
- l Department of Family Medicine , McGill University
| | - Sophie Patterson
- a Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University
- m Department of Public Health and Policy , University of Liverpool
| | - Alexandra de Pokomandy
- k Chronic Viral Illness Service , McGill University Health Centre
- o Department of Medicine , University of Toronto
| | - Mona Loutfy
- n Women's College Research Institute , Women's College Hospital
- o Department of Medicine , University of Toronto
| | - Angela Kaida
- a Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University
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9
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Pinho ADA, Barbosa RM, Brignol S, Villela W, Monteiro SS. Drivers of Sexual Inactivity Among Women Living with HIV and AIDS: Findings of the GENIH Study in São Paulo, Brazil. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 47:1983-1993. [PMID: 29468346 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-1110-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The advances on HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment have enabled people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) better quality of life. However, the persistence of HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and the risks triggered by HIV disclosure, may be a barrier to the sexual exercise of PLHA. We investigated the prevalence of sexual inactivity and the reasons given for it among a representative sample of women of reproductive age living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil. We surveyed 918 WLWHA with probability proportional to average number of visits in each of the 18 referral HIV/AIDS services. Sexual inactivity was defined as not having had vaginal sexual intercourse in the year prior to research. Statistical modeling of the factors associated with sexual inactivity was carried out by way of bivariate and multivariate analysis. In all, 22.2% (n = 200) of the women did not have sexual relations in the year prior to the interview. The majority reported a reduction in desire (64.5%) and sexual activity (68%). Among the women not in a relationship, the predictors of sexual inactivity were: being older (35-49) (ORa = 2.25); not being Catholic (ORa = 2.91); having kept the diagnosis secret from their partner (ORa = 2.45); having had up to five sexual partners throughout life (ORa = 3.81). The diagnosis of HIV seems to have more of an effect on the desire for and frequency of sexual activity than on its interruption. Sexual inactivity was influenced by the stigma of HIV/AIDS, by age, and by moral-religious values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana de Araujo Pinho
- Laboratory of Education in Health and Environment-Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Pavilhão Laura Travassos (Room 49), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
| | - Regina Maria Barbosa
- Center for Population Studies "Elza Berquó", State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Center for Referrals and Training in STDs/AIDS, Secretary of the Health of the State of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sandra Brignol
- Collective Health Institute, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Wilza Villela
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Simone Souza Monteiro
- Laboratory of Education in Health and Environment-Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Pavilhão Laura Travassos (Room 49), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
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10
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The Problematization of Sexuality among Women Living with HIV and a New Feminist Approach for Understanding and Enhancing Women’s Sexual Lives. SEX ROLES 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11199-017-0826-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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11
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Taylor TN, Munoz-Plaza CE, Goparaju L, Martinez O, Holman S, Minkoff HL, Karpiak SE, Gandhi M, Cohen MH, Golub ET, Levine AM, Adedimeji AA, Gonsalves R, Bryan T, Connors N, Schechter G, Wilson TE. "The Pleasure Is Better as I've Gotten Older": Sexual Health, Sexuality, and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Older Women Living With HIV. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:1137-1150. [PMID: 27220311 PMCID: PMC5122465 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0751-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
There is limited research examining the sexual health and well-being of older women living with HIV (OWLH). Most studies focus on sexual dysfunction, leaving aside the richer context of sexuality and sexual health, including the effect of age-related psychosocial and interpersonal changes on sexual health behaviors. Guided by the integrative biopsychosocial model and the sexual health model, this study explored the importance of sex and sexuality among OWLH to identify their sexual health and HIV prevention needs for program planning. A purposive sample (n = 50) of OWLH was selected from a parent study (n = 2052). We conducted 8 focus groups and 41 in-depth interviews with 50 African American and Latina OWLH aged 50-69 years old in three U.S. cities. The triangulation approach was used to synthesize the data. Six salient themes emerged: sexual pleasure changes due to age, sexual freedom as women age, the role of relationships in sexual pleasure, changes in sexual ability and sexual health needs, sexual risk behaviors, and ageist assumptions about older women's sexuality. We found that sexual pleasure and the need for intimacy continue to be important for OWLH, but that changing sexual abilities and sexual health needs, such as the reduction of sexual desire, as well as increased painful intercourse due to menopause-associated vaginal drying, were persistent barriers to sexual fulfillment and satisfaction. Particular interpersonal dynamics, including low perceptions of the risk of HIV transmission as related to gender, viral suppression, and habitual condomless sex with long-term partners without HIV transmission have resulted in abandoning safer sex practices with serodiscordant partners. These findings suggest that HIV prevention for OWLH should focus on how sexual function and satisfaction intersect with sexual risk. HIV prevention for OWLH should promote ways to maintain satisfying and safe sex lives among aging women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonya N Taylor
- College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and the Special Treatment and Research Program, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 1240, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA.
| | | | - Lakshmi Goparaju
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Omar Martinez
- College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Susan Holman
- College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and the Special Treatment and Research Program, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 1240, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA
| | - Howard L Minkoff
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Stephen E Karpiak
- AIDS Community Research Initiative of America, New York, NY, USA
- School of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Monica Gandhi
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mardge H Cohen
- Department of Medicine, Cook County Health and Hospital System and Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elizabeth T Golub
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Adebola A Adedimeji
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca Gonsalves
- College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and the Special Treatment and Research Program, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 1240, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA
| | - Tiffany Bryan
- College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and the Special Treatment and Research Program, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 1240, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA
| | - Nina Connors
- College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and the Special Treatment and Research Program, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 1240, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA
| | - Gabrielle Schechter
- College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and the Special Treatment and Research Program, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 1240, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA
| | - Tracey E Wilson
- School of Public Health, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
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12
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Vale B, Hodes R, Cluver L. Negotiations of Blame and Care among HIV-positive Mothers and Daughters in South Africa's Eastern Cape. Med Anthropol Q 2017; 31:519-536. [PMID: 28025859 DOI: 10.1111/maq.12351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2015] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Research delineates two epidemiological categories among HIV-positive adolescents: those who contract the virus sexually and those who inherit it as infants. In this article, we are interested in how tacit inferences about adolescents' mode of infection contribute to their experiences of HIV-related blame, and their ability to achieve care, in their intimate, everyday settings. The analysis arises from ethnographic research with 23 HIV-positive adolescents living in South Africa's Eastern Cape. From these, we draw particularly on the narratives of four HIV-positive teenage girls and their HIV-positive mothers. The article explores the social stakes entailed in ascriptions of adolescents' mode of infection, particularly in terms of how blame was allocated between mothers and daughters. It further considers how these families have sought to negotiate repudiation and thereby sustain intergenerational care. The article furthers limited research on the life projects and dilemmas of this HIV-positive adolescent cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth Vale
- The History Workshop, University of the Witwatersrand
| | - Rebecca Hodes
- AIDS and Society Research Unit, University of Cape Town
| | - Lucie Cluver
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford
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13
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Rohleder P, McDermott DT, Cook R. Experience of sexual self-esteem among men living with HIV. J Health Psychol 2016; 22:176-185. [PMID: 26238342 DOI: 10.1177/1359105315597053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Much of the focus on sexual health for people living with HIV has been on promoting safe sex behaviours. However, also important for sexual health is a positive sexual self-esteem. This article reports on an interpretative phenomenological analysis of interviews with seven men about the impact that having HIV has had on their sense of sexual self. Five overarching themes were identified: the 'destruction' of a sexual self; feeling sexually hazardous; sexual inhibition; reclaiming a sexual self and finding a place through sero-sorting. With HIV now being a chronic illness, interventions are required to support people to lead sexually satisfying lives.
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14
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Carlsson-Lalloo E, Rusner M, Mellgren Å, Berg M. Sexuality and Reproduction in HIV-Positive Women: A Meta-Synthesis. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2016; 30:56-69. [PMID: 26741804 PMCID: PMC4753620 DOI: 10.1089/apc.2015.0260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The increased access to effective antiretroviral treatment (ART) has made HIV comparable to a chronic disease in terms of life expectancy. Needs related to sexuality and reproduction are central to overall health and well-being. An interpretative meta-synthesis was performed to synthesize and assess how HIV-positive women's experiences of sexuality and reproduction have been described in qualitative studies. A total of 18 peer-reviewed qualitative studies were included, which comprised a total of 588 HIV-positive interviewed women. The studies originated from resource-rich countries outside the Asian and African continents. The analysis, resulting in a lines-of-argument synthesis, shows that HIV infection was a burden in relation to sexuality and reproduction. The weight of the burden could be heavier or lighter. Conditions making the HIV burden heavier were: HIV as a barrier, feelings of fear and loss, whereas motherhood, spiritual beliefs, and supportive relationships made the HIV burden lighter. The findings are important in developing optimal health care by addressing conditions making the burden of HIV infection lighter to bear. In future research there is a need to focus not only on examining how HIV-positive women's sexual and relationships manifest themselves, but also on how health care professionals should provide adequate support to the women in relation to sexuality and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Carlsson-Lalloo
- Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Södra Älvsborg Hospital, Borås, Sweden
| | - Marie Rusner
- Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Research, Södra Älvsborg Hospital, Borås, Sweden
| | - Åsa Mellgren
- Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Södra Älvsborg Hospital, Borås, Sweden
- Department of Research, Södra Älvsborg Hospital, Borås, Sweden
| | - Marie Berg
- Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC), University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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15
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Schaan MM, Taylor M, Gungqisa N, Marlink R. Personal views about womanhood amongst women living with HIV in Botswana. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2015; 18:173-185. [PMID: 26305285 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2015.1072247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The social construction of womanhood in Africa can be said to have two central defining elements: being a wife and being a mother. The interplay between HIV and these elements is not well understood outside of prevention efforts. We conducted a qualitative study of womanhood in Botswana; specifically the sexual and reproductive lives of women living with HIV. Twelve focus-group discussions were held with 61 women, with a median age of 35, taking anti-retroviral therapy. Major themes describing womanhood, before and after HIV diagnosis, were identified using grounded theory strategies. Findings illustrate that womanhood is synonymous with motherhood and that women are expected to have sex in order to please a partner. HIV was said to create a barrier to fulfilling these expectations as it caused anxiety over disclosing one's HIV status and/or infecting the partner. The sense of pride and dignity that traditionally accompanied pregnancy was said to be lost and a common refrain was concern about passing HIV to an unborn child, having pregnancy complications or advancing HIV infection. Fear, shame and stigma play a large role in these negative perceptions. Interventions to address stigma, societal views of women and the integration of holistic family planning into HIV care are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Marian Schaan
- a School of Nursing and Public Health , University of Kwazulu Natal , Durban , South Africa
| | - Myra Taylor
- a School of Nursing and Public Health , University of Kwazulu Natal , Durban , South Africa
| | | | - Richard Marlink
- c Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases , Harvard School of Public Health , Boston , USA
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16
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Cook C. Diagnostic classification, viral sexually transmitted infections and discourses of femininity: limits of normalisation to erase stigma. Nurs Inq 2012; 20:145-55. [PMID: 22333002 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1800.2012.00593.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Clinicians in the field of women's sexual health typically classify the two most common viral sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the human papilloma virus and the herpes simplex virus, as relatively innocuous infections. Teaching interventions include 'normalising' adult sexual activity and the epidemiological ordinariness of infection. Normalising is intended to disarm the potential stigma of the diagnosis. In this study, in-depth email interviews were conducted with 26 women with a viral STI diagnosis and 12 sexual health clinicians. Data were analysed thematically using a feminist, poststructuralist approach. Normalising is contextualised as an example of the workings of western philosophical thought whereby dualistic classifications privilege certain terms and subordinate other terms. In this instance, the relative medical normalcy of viral STIs is given primacy compared to the social abnormality experienced by women. Although these viral STIs infect women and men, this research concentrates on women's learning about viral STIs. For women, beliefs about femininity, sexuality, health, morality and responsibility influence effects of a viral STI diagnosis. These discourses are clinically significant because beliefs that specifically link to ideas about how to be a woman are overlooked when clinicians devise educational interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Cook
- School of Health and Social Services, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.
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17
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Stephens C. Privilege and status in an unequal society: shifting the focus of health promotion research to include the maintenance of advantage. J Health Psychol 2010; 15:993-1000. [PMID: 20631039 DOI: 10.1177/1359105310371554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been a great deal of social policy and health promotion practice directed toward the inclusion of underprivileged groups with the aim of improving their health. This focus on disadvantaged people and poor communities, to help them empower themselves and improve their lot, often fails because it ignores the role of the broader society. We neglect to note the crucial part that the advantaged play in perpetuating inequalities. Theory and empirical work from sociology and anthropology points to the everyday ways in which privileged people are able to maintain their advantage and even hi-jack the benefits of public health programmes designed to improve the health of the poor. Some examples from these other disciplines suggest ways in which a social psychological perspective can contribute to an understanding of how inequalities and poverty are perpetuated in everyday life. These understandings will inform the effectiveness of social programmes to reduce inequalities.
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18
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Long C. “I DON'T KNOW WHO TO BLAME”: HIV-POSITIVE SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN NAVIGATING HETEROSEXUAL INFECTION. PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN QUARTERLY 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-6402.2009.01504.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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19
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Long C. “I Don't Know Who to Blame”: Hiv-Positive South African Women Navigating Heterosexual Infection. PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN QUARTERLY 2009. [DOI: 10.1177/036168430903300307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Women who become HIV infected through heterosexual transmission are faced with the task of making sense of how they became infected. This paper presents a qualitative analysis based on interviews with 35 HIV-positive South African Black women. A specific theme, that blame of a male partner was avoided or disavowed in interviews, is explored in relation to broader contexts concerning gender and HIV. It is suggested that the repeated phrase “I don't know who to blame” expresses gender-differentiated speaking rights. It also protects women from voicing their own anger, guilt and internalization of badness as a result of an HIV-positive diagnosis. Further, it protects women from exposure to male destructiveness and from confronting the possibility that they themselves are implicated in the infection of others. Analysis offers opportunities for exploring how women both resist and repeat dominant discourses and dominant fears related to HIV-infected womanhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Long
- Discipline of Psychology, University of the Witwatersrand
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20
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“It’s Just Supposed to Happen”: The Myth of Sexual Spontaneity and the Sexually Marginalized. SEXUALITY AND DISABILITY 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s11195-009-9119-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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21
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Abstract
The purpose of this article is to outline information about people who live with HIV and AIDS and provide nurses with information on how to provide high-quality care for these patients related to sexuality and intimacy. This care is provided through a discussion of relationships, sexuality and sexual health, gender perceptions about sexuality, sexual needs and difficulties, and nursing assessment and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario R Ortiz
- Department of Nursing, Purdue University North Central, 1401 South U.S. Highway 421, Westville, IN 46391, USA.
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