Objective Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is greatly increased in women infected with sexually transmitted Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) and who are co-infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Factors associated with promotion of HPV to CIN in these women include degree of immunosuppression and preventable behavioral factors such as tobacco smoking and psychological stress. Interventions such as cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) decrease stress and modulate disease activity in HIV-infected men though effects have not been established in HIV-infected women. This study examined the effects of CBSM on life stress and CIN in HIV+ minority women. Methods Participants were 39 HIV+ African American, Caribbean and Hispanic women with a recent history of an abnormal Papanicolaou smear. Participants underwent colposcopic examination, psychosocial interview, and peripheral venous blood draw at study entry and 9 months after being randomly assigned to either a 10-week CBSM group intervention (n = 21) or a one-day CBSM workshop (n = 18). Results Women assigned to the 10-week CBSM intervention reported decreased perceived life stress and had significantly lower odds of CIN over a 9-month follow-up, independent of CIN at study entry, HPV type, CD4+CD3+ cell count, HIV viral load, and tobacco smoking. Women free of CIN at follow-up reported decreases in perceived stress over time while those with CIN reported increases in perceived stress over the same period. Conclusion Although preliminary these findings suggest that stress management decreases perceived life stress and may decrease the odds of CIN in women with HIV and HPV.

This study examines the role of family status and demographic characteristics in explaining the nearly 60% dropout rate for women in substance abuse treatment. Data from the administrative record files of the Illinois Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (OASA) for the fiscal year 1996-97 were analyzed for women age 12 or older who completed intake for publicly funded substance abuse treatment and whose outpatient treatment records were closed at year-end. Multivariate logistic regression models found that the likelihood of not completing treatment was greatest for women who were African American, pregnant, had custody of minor children, or were younger than age 21. However, African American women who had children in foster care were more likely to complete treatment. Implications for treatment and research are discussed.

The medical outcomes of women infected with HIV are typically worse than those of HIV-positive men. HIV-positive women report high rates of intimate partner violence, and there is evidence that traumatic events have a negative impact on health status. In addition, African American women make up 1 of the fastest growing groups of HIV-positive individuals. Therefore, this study sought to examine the impact of intimate partner violence on HIV medication adherence, HIV-related physical health outcomes, and health-related quality of life in 40 HIV-positive African American women. The results were that women who had experienced intimate partner violence had worse HIV-related health as indicated by reduced CD4 counts and increased HIV viral load. In addition, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms were related to both intimate partner violence and health-related quality of life. Lastly, HIV medication adherence mediated the relationships between intimate partner violence and the HIV-related health outcomes. Implications for further work and clinical interventions to address intimate partner violence, medication adherence, and health-related quality of life in this population are discussed.

Objective-This study is a secondary analysis examining the effects of a cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention on indicators of positive psychological well-being and negative psychological well-being in HIV-positive racial/ethnic minority women at risk for cervical cancer due to Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection and/or cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN). Results-Women in the CBSM group reported significant increases in domains of positive wellbeing, with no changes among women in the psychoeducational seminar (F[6, 63] = 2.42, p<.05, η 2 = 0.19). There were no significant changes in domains of negative well-being across time for either group (F[2, 65] = 2.60, p= .08, η 2 = 0.07). Conclusions-These findings suggest that racial/ethnic minority women with HIV at risk for cervical cancer who were randomized to a 10-week CBSM group experienced enhanced positive well-being. The lack of effects on negative well-being may be due to the relatively low levels of negative well-being present in this sample at study entry. Future research should examine whether these effects are replicated in a randomized controlled trial of women with biopsy-confirmed CIN who present with greater distress levels that also employs a time-equivalent comparison condition. Methods

This study elucidates the perspective of low-income HIV-positive African American women who have not received cervical cancer screening for five or more years, on the barriers they face in accessing and using reproductive health care. We focused on how women who live in a severely economically depressed and racially segregated neighborhood experience barriers to cervical cancer screening. Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, which allows for the organization of conditions and situations that bar utilization of health services, served as the theoretical framework. Findings from individual semi-structured interviews with 35 participants revealed the importance of psychological and emotional barriers as well as the more commonly reported economic, social, and health care system barriers. We suggest how access to care for this population can be increased by including psychological and emotional components in intervention efforts.