A Review of Psychosocial Factors that Facilitate HIV Infection Among Women Living in Canada & the United States: Implications for Public Health Policy

Abstract

In Canada and the U.S., HIV infection among women has been associated with mental health symptoms, injection drug use, past trauma history, sexual partner characteristics, gender power inequalities, poverty, racial segregation and health care disparities. The psychosocial needs of women living with HIV often go unmet, facilitating HIV transmission, poor psychiatric outcomes and faster disease progression. Therefore, it is important to understand the complex biological, psychological, social and behavioral factors affecting women living with HIV. This article discusses urban women’s health from a biopsychosocial and behavioral perspective as well as the implications for health care policy and practice that are specific to HIV prevention and intervention