What are some of the biggest issues facing women with HIV?
That’s a tough question; it’s hard to tease out the socioeconomic/cultural problems from the treatment problems. Stigma continues to be an issue, as does insufficient treatment for substance abuse. Funding for appropriate drug therapy is also a problem; there is a cap on Ryan White funding, and the formulas that determine funding differ from state to state and region to region. The long-term impact of HIV infection upon the family — upon the family networks and dynamic — is also a major issue. The multiple roles that women play often make it hard for them to care for themselves, since as caregivers they are always caring for everyone else. Many women are also in serodiscordant relationships [relationships where one person is HIV positive and one is HIV negative] and want to get pregnant. Then there are the socioeconomic issues: Women with HIV infection continue in general to be overwhelmingly poor, and are in racial and ethnic minorities with limited economic opportunities. There are
