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Description
This study provides a descriptive profile of HIV-positive women who are enrolled in the Coordinated HIV Assistance and Navigation for Growth and Empowerment for Women, or CHANGE for Women, program at Christie's Place, a community-based organization in San Diego County. The focus was placed on the various service and resource needs and barriers to HIV care self-identified by women enrolled in the program. Additionally, the study examined the experience of sexual violence within the sample and the interaction it had with their needs, barriers, and demographic characteristics. Data was originally collected by Christie's Place peer navigators at the time of enrollment into the CHANGE for Women program between May 2011 and December 2012. The data that was analyzed was taken from the intake and psychosocial assessments. Factors to qualify into the CHANGE for Women program included being a HIV-positive female (biological or male-to-female transgender) and fell into one of the following categories: recently diagnosed, at-risk of falling out of HIV care or out of HIV care. The sample had 146 women. Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to answer the research questions that were posed for this exploratory study. Overall, the analysis of the data revealed age, race/ethnicity, gender, and educational attainment characteristics of the sample as well as statistically significant relationships between demographic characteristics, resource/service needs and barriers to HIV care to sexual assault (SA) and to intimate partner violence (IPV) experience. There were no significant relationships found between demographic variables and SA and demographic variables and IPV. The needs of drug and alcohol treatment, food, and transportation were identified as having statistical significance with SA. Lack of money, immigration, drug use and lack of perceived need were identified barriers that were found to be statistically significant with SA. Drug/alcohol treatment and housing were found to be statistically significant with IPV and the barriers of lack of money, drug use, lack of perceived need, and lack of ancillary service were found to be statistically significant with IPV. The information gathered from this study can be a foundation for further exploratory studies of women living with HIV in San Diego County. Since women are disproportionately infected by HIV/AIDS, understanding their needs, barriers and experiences will enable providers to offer the most effective services.
