Intimacy and Sexual Decision Making: Exploring the Perspective of HIV Positive Women Over 50

Psaros, Christina; Barinas, Jennifer; Robbins, Gregory K.; Bedoya, C. Andres; Safren, Steven A.; Park, Elyse R.

doi:10.1089/apc.2012.0256

Cited by 35 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…In this sample of older women living with HIV (OWLH), most reported being involved in intimate and sexual relationships, a finding that is echoed in larger studies (Brennan et al, 2011; Grodensky et al, 2015; Nevedal & Sankar, 2015; Psaros et al, 2012). Furthermore, sexual pleasure and intimacy remain an important aspect of life for women with HIV as they age.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

“The Pleasure Is Better as I’ve Gotten Older”: Sexual Health, Sexuality, and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Older Women Living With HIV

Taylor

Munoz-Plaza²,

Goparaju

et al. 2016

Arch Sex Behav

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There is limited research examining the sexual health and wellbeing 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=2,052). 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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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

“The Pleasure Is Better as I’ve Gotten Older”: Sexual Health, Sexuality, and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Older Women Living With HIV

Taylor

Munoz-Plaza²,

Goparaju

et al. 2016

Arch Sex Behav

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“…This finding is supported by research which suggests that intimate sexual relationships positively influence the quality of life of older women living with HIV. 37 Recognition of older age status and confirmation that HIV may not be the cause of their mortality may also encourage women in this study to think about the future.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Taking It One Day at a Time: African American Women Aging with HIV and Co-Morbidities

Warren-Jeanpiere

Dillaway

Hamilton

et al. 2014

AIDS Patient Care and STDs

125

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Self-managing HIV/AIDS presents challenges for anyone infected. These challenges may be further complicated for older HIV-infected African American women who acquired the disease at younger ages and now have comorbidities. Little is known regarding how women's age identity, social responsibilities, co-morbidities, and romantic relationship status influence their HIV self-management. Five focus groups were conducted in Washington DC, with HIV-positive African American women aged 52-65. Topics included HIV and co-morbidity self-management, social support needs, medication adherence, and future plans for old age. A constant comparison approach was applied during data analysis. Co-morbidities, including diabetes and hypertension, were perceived to be more difficult to self-manage than HIV. This difficulty was not attributed to aging but to daily struggles such as lack of income and/or health insurance, an inflexible work schedule, and loneliness. Social responsibilities, including caring for family, positively impacted participants' ability to self-manage HIV by serving as motivation to stay healthy in order to continue to help family members. In contrast, inflexible work schedules negatively impacted women's ability to sustain medication adherence. Overall, this study demonstrates that HIV and co-morbidity self-management are inextricably linked. We can no longer afford to view engagement in HIV care as a single-disease issue and hope to attain optimal health and well-being in our HIVaffected populations. Optimal HIV self-management must be framed within a larger context that simultaneously addresses HIV and co-morbidities, while considering how social and cultural factors uniquely intersect to influence older African American women's self-management strategies.

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“…For example, research links HIV-related stigma to loneliness as well as decreased social participation and utilization of services [28•, 31, 56]. In turn, loneliness has been linked to increased substance use among OWLH [26].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Healthy Aging in Older Women Living with HIV Infection: a Systematic Review of Psychosocial Factors

et al. 2017

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Due to life-enhancing effects of antiretroviral therapy, HIV-positive persons have the potential for long life comparable to their uninfected peers. Older women (age 50+) living with HIV (OWLH) are often an under-recognized aging group. We conducted a systematic review to examine psychosocial factors that impact how OWLH live, cope, and age with HIV. Initial key word search yielded 1527 records, and 21 studies met our inclusion criteria of original quantitative or qualitative research published between 2013 and 2016 with results specific to OWLH. These focused on health care and self-management, sexual health and risk, stigma, loneliness, mental health (depression, substance use), and protective factors (coping, social support, well-being). Due to the scarcity of studies on each topic and inconclusive findings, no clear patterns of results emerged. As the number of OWLH continues to grow, more research, including longitudinal studies, is needed to fully characterize the psychosocial factors that impact aging with HIV.

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Intimacy and Sexual Decision Making: Exploring the Perspective of HIV Positive Women Over 50

Cited by 35 publications

References 34 publications

“The Pleasure Is Better as I’ve Gotten Older”: Sexual Health, Sexuality, and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Older Women Living With HIV

“The Pleasure Is Better as I’ve Gotten Older”: Sexual Health, Sexuality, and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Older Women Living With HIV

Taking It One Day at a Time: African American Women Aging with HIV and Co-Morbidities

Healthy Aging in Older Women Living with HIV Infection: a Systematic Review of Psychosocial Factors

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