Ethnic inequalities in mental health and socioeconomic status among older women living with HIV: results from the PRIME Study.
Sex Transm Infect
; 98(2): 128-131, 2022 03.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1691279
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Women living with HIV in the UK are an ethnically diverse group with significant psychosocial challenges. Increasing numbers are reaching older age. We describe psychological and socioeconomic factors among women with HIV in England aged 45-60 and explore associations with ethnicity.METHODS:
Analysis of cross-sectional data on 724 women recruited to the PRIME Study. Psychological symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire 4 and social isolation with a modified Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Scale.RESULTS:
Black African (BA) women were more likely than Black Caribbean or White British (WB) women to have a university education (48.3%, 27.0%, 25.7%, respectively, p<0.001), but were not more likely to be employed (68.4%, 61.4%, 65.2%, p=0.56) and were less likely to have enough money to meet their basic needs (56.4%, 63.0%, 82.9%, p<0.001). BA women were less likely to report being diagnosed with depression than WB women (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.40, p<0.001) but more likely to report current psychological distress (aOR 3.34, p<0.05).CONCLUSIONS:
We report high levels of poverty, psychological distress and social isolation in this ethnically diverse group of midlife women with HIV, especially among those who were BA. Despite being more likely to experience psychological distress, BA women were less likely to have been diagnosed with depression suggesting a possible inequity in access to mental health services. Holistic HIV care requires awareness of the psychosocial needs of older women living with HIV, which may be more pronounced in racially minoritised communities, and prompt referral for support including psychology, peer support and advice about benefits.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Socioeconomic Factors
/
HIV Infections
/
Mental Health
/
Black People
/
Healthcare Disparities
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
/
Traditional medicine
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Sex Transm Infect
Journal subject:
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Sextrans-2020-054788
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