Gender-Specific HIV Prevention Interventions for Women Who Use Alcohol and Other Drugs

Wechsberg, Wendee M.; Deren, Sherry; Myers, Bronwyn; Kirtadze, Irma; Zule, William; Howard, Brittni Nicole; El‐Bassel, Nabila

doi:10.1097/qai.0000000000000627

Cited by 34 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Despite clear evidence of the value of women-specific AOD treatment for women’s treatment outcomes and the integration of AOD and HIV services for HIV prevention (Gilbert et al, 2015; Wechsberg et al, 2015), young women who use AODs are missing from health and AOD policy and service planning. Consequently, there is a lack of appropriate services for young women who use AODs, which is a major deterrent to treatment-seeking.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Not on the agenda”: A qualitative study of influences on health services use among poor young women who use drugs in Cape Town, South Africa

Myers

Carney

Wechsberg

2016

International Journal of Drug Policy

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Background Poor young women who use alcohol and other drugs (AODs) in Cape Town, South Africa, need access to health services to prevent HIV. Efforts to link young women to services are hampered by limited information on what influences service initiation. We explored perceptions of factors that influence poor AOD-using young women’s use of health services. Methods We conducted four focus groups with young women (aged 16 to 21) who used AODs and were recruited from two township communities in Cape Town. We also conducted 14 in-depth interviews with health and social welfare service planners and providers. Discussion topics included young women’s use of health services and perceived influences on service use. Qualitative data were analysed using a framework approach. Results The findings highlighted structural, contextual, and systemic influences on the use of health services by young women who use AODs. First, young women were absent from the health agenda, which had an impact on the provision of women-specific services. Resource constraints and gender inequality were thought to contribute to this absence. Second, gender inequality and stigma toward young women who used AODs led to their social exclusion from education and employment opportunities and health care. Third, community poverty resulted in the emergence of perverse social capital and social disorder that limited social support for treatment. Fourth, the health care system was unresponsive to the multiple service needs of these young women. Conclusion To reach young women who use AODs, interventions need to take cognisance of young women’s risk environment and health systems need to adapt to respond better to their needs. For these interventions to be effective, gender must be placed on the policy agenda.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Not on the agenda”: A qualitative study of influences on health services use among poor young women who use drugs in Cape Town, South Africa

Myers

Carney

Wechsberg

2016

International Journal of Drug Policy

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“…In the last two decades, there has been evolving literature on gender-specific interventions to target risk reduction for women (Wechsberg, et al, 2015). Studies have focused on gender-specific HIV risk reduction interventions for women that have targeted relationships, and specifically how changes in thinking about relationships can influence behaviors (Knudsen et al, 2014; Leukefeld et al, 2012; Staton-Tindall et al, 2007).…”

Section: Implications For Practice and Policymentioning

confidence: 99%

Partner Relationships and Injection Sharing Practices among Rural Appalachian Women

Staton

Strickland

Tillson

et al. 2017

Women's Health Issues

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Background The role of relationships in initiating and maintaining women’s risk behaviors has been established. However, understanding factors that may underlie partner relationships and women’s risky drug use, particularly in rural contexts, is limited. This study is the first to examine the association between injecting partners and women’s risky injection practices as a function of relationship power perception. Methods Female participants were recruited from three rural jails in the Appalachian region. Women were randomly selected, provided informed consent, and screened for study eligibility criteria. This cross-sectional analysis focuses on women who inject drugs (WWID) during the year before entering jail (n=199). Main findings Approximately three-quarters (76%) reported having a recent main male sexual partner with a history of injection drug use (IDU). Although having a risky partner independently increased the likelihood of women reporting shared injection practices, perceptions of relationship power significantly moderated the effect on shared needle (AOR = 0.02 [0.003, 0.23]; p = .001) and shared works (AOR = 0.17 [0.03, 0.95]; p = .04) use. Conclusions This interaction indicated that for WWID with a recent injecting male partner, greater perception of relationship power was associated with a decreased likelihood of shared injection practices. Implications for clinical assessment and intervention are discussed.

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“…27,28 In many countries, such programs are operated and attended primarily by men; they do not address needs specific to women, such as reproductive health, intimate partner violence (IPV), childcare responsibilities, or food insecurity. 28 As Gilbert et al discuss, not many programs have been designed to simultaneously address SAVA syndemic components. 9 Few women-only service centers exist, which can discourage access for some.…”

Section: Gender-specific Risk Environments For Hiv Faced By Women Whomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…12,16,28 Studies show that women tend to use or inject in social settings, and their social networks overlap with their drug use networks more than men’s do. 9,32 Women are more likely to experience their first drug injection with an intimate partner and to have that partner inject them.…”

Section: Gender-specific Risk Environments For Hiv Faced By Women Whomentioning

confidence: 99%

Women Who Use or Inject Drugs

El‐Bassel

Strathdee

2015

JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

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Women account for more than half of all individuals living with HIV globally. Despite increasing drug and HIV epidemics among women, females who use drugs are rarely found in research, harm reduction programs, or drug and HIV treatment and care. Women who use drugs continue to face challenges that increase their vulnerability to HIV and other co-morbidities due to high rates of gender-based violence, human rights violations, incarceration, and institutional and societal stigmatization. This special issue emphasizes how the burdens of HIV, drug use and their co-occurring epidemics affect women in a global context. Papers included focus on the epidemiology of HIV, HCV and other co-morbidities; HIV treatment, prevention, and care; and policies affecting the lives of female who use drugs. This issue also highlights the state of the science of biomedical and behavioral research related to women who use drugs. The final paper highlights the major findings of papers covered and presents a call to action regarding needed research, treatment, and preventive services for women who use drugs. To address these needs, we advocate for women-specific thinking and approaches that considers the social, micro, and macro contexts of women’s lives. We present a woman-specific risk environment framework that reflects the unique lives and contexts of women who use drugs and provide a call to action for intervention, prevention, and policies.

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Gender-Specific HIV Prevention Interventions for Women Who Use Alcohol and Other Drugs

Cited by 34 publications

References 60 publications

“Not on the agenda”: A qualitative study of influences on health services use among poor young women who use drugs in Cape Town, South Africa

“Not on the agenda”: A qualitative study of influences on health services use among poor young women who use drugs in Cape Town, South Africa

Partner Relationships and Injection Sharing Practices among Rural Appalachian Women

Women Who Use or Inject Drugs

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