Women and Girls
Gaps in Research
- 1.
- Further interventions are needed to provide support (physical, psychological, technological, economic) to caregivers.
- 2.
- Interventions are needed to train caregivers on taking care of children living with HIV.
- 3.
- The increased vulnerability of female-headed households requires targeted interventions.
- 4.
- Interventions are needed to support HIV-positive women to disclose their serostatus to their children and families.
- 5.
- Interventions are needed to increase access to palliative care.
- 6.
- Caregiver training for male and female community health workers may benefit from critical reflections on gender roles and responsibilities.
- 7.
- Further interventions are needed to improve quality of life for women living with HIV.
- 8.
- Care and support programs should address gender-based violence.
1. Further interventions are needed to provide support (physical, psychological, technological, economic) to caregivers. Studies showed that caregivers have many physical, psychological, technical and economic unmet needs, with high rates of depression and poverty.
Gap noted, for example, in China (Zhou, 2008), Uganda (O’Hare et al., 2005, Kaharuza et al., 2006, Ssengonzi et al., 2007); South Africa (Akintola, 2006); Botswana (Rajaraman et al., 2006, Shaibu, 2006).
Zhou, R. 2008. “Endangered Womanhood: Women’s Experiences with HIV/AIDS in China.” Qualitative Helath Research 18: 1115-1126.
2. Interventions are needed to train caregivers on taking care of children living with HIV. A study found that caregivers of HIV-positive children needed training and information.
Gap noted, for example, in South Africa.
3. The increased vulnerability of female-headed households requires targeted interventions. Studies found that female-headed households risk losing farmland and property and need targeted interventions.
Gap noted, for example, in Kenya (Yamano and Jayne, 2004, cited in Gillespie and Kadiyala, 2005); Uganda (Kanyamurwa and Ampek, 2007); and Malawi (Shah et al., 2001, cited in Gillespie and Kadiyala, 2005).
Yamano, T. and T. Jayne. 2004. “Measuring the Impact of Working-age Adult Mortality on Small-scale Farm Households in Kenya.” World Development 32(1):91-119.
4. Interventions are needed to support HIV-positive women to disclose their serostatus to their children and families. Studies found that HIV-positive women found it extremely difficult to disclose their serostatus to their children and to their families and wanted specific counseling to address this need.
Gap noted, for example, in Argentina (Ottenberger et al., 2008); and Uganda (Rwemisisi et al., 2008, Manchester, 2004).
Ottenberger, D., M. Mancilla, H. Hernandez, and I. Matute. 2008. “Handling of HIV/AIDS Diagnosis and its Impact in Familiar Environment.” Abstract WEPE0630. XVII International AIDS Conference. Mexico City, Mexico. August 3-8.
5. **Interventions are needed to** increase access to palliative care. A study found that a significant proportion of patients needed palliative care.
Gap noted, for example, in Tanzania.
Collins, K. and R. Harding. 2007. “Improving HIV Management in Sub-Saharan Africa: How Much Palliative Care is Needed?” AIDS Care 19 (10): 1304-6.
6. Caregiver training for male and female community health workers may benefit from critical reflections on gender roles and responsibilities. A study found that men and women competed for remunerated caregiving, with training needed on gender roles.
Gap noted, for example, in Lesotho.
Newman, C., N. Makoae, E. Reavely and L. Fogarty. 2009. “Alleviating the Burden of Responsibility: Report on a Study of Men as Providers of Community-based HIV/AIDS Care and Support in Lesotho.” Chapel Hill, NC: The Capacity Project, IntraHealth International, Inc. www.capacityproject.org
7. Further interventions are needed to improve quality of life for women living with HIV. A study found that women with HIV had lower quality of life scores than men.
Gap noted, for example, in India.
Solomon, S., K. Venkatesh, L. Brown, P. Verma, A. Cecelia, C. Daly, V. Mahendra, N. Cheng, N. Kumarasamy and K. Mayer. 2008. “Gender-related Differences in Quality of Life Domains of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in South India in the Era Prior to Greater Access to Antiretroviral Therapy.” AIDS Patient Care 22 (12): 999-1005.
8. Care and support programs should address gender-based violence. A study of women who received home based care found that significant numbers experienced violence.
Gap noted, for example, in Uganda.
Apondi, R., R. Bunnell, A. Awor, N. Wamai, W. Bikaako-Kajura, P. Solberg, R. Stall, A. Coutinho and J. Mermin. 2007. “Home-Based Antiretroviral Care Is Associated with Positive Social Outcomes in a Prospective Cohort in Uganda.” Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 44 (1): 71-76.