HIV-Positive Women's Perceptions of Gender Differences in Treatment of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in Hospital, Community, and Family Systems in the Western Cape and Limpopo Provinces of South Africa

Purpose: Women's perceptions of gender differences in the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS have important implications for their care and support needs. This presentation examines aspects of perceived differences in treatment of women living with HIV/AIDS versus their male counterparts in hospital, community, and family settings.

Data- Data were collected in 11 focus group discussions conducted with 87 HIV positive women attending support groups in the Western Cape and Limpopo regions of South Africa.

Results- Findings indicate mixed perceptions. In the community, women are blamed for spreading the HIV virus to men, but men often hide their HIV status, which then delays the provision of care and support. In the family, men living with HIV/AIDS are perceived to receive more support from their wives than are women living with HIV/AIDS from their husbands. Finally, in hospital settings, men and women living with HIV/AIDS are perceived to be treated similarly. However, some participants noted that HIV positive women experience difficulties obtaining condoms and contraception, thus undermining their ability to prevent HIV transmission.

Implications- The perceptions of gender differences which disadvantage women in HIV prevention and treatment raises important questions about efforts aimed at improving the care and support needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Indeed, effective prevention and control of HIV/AIDS will require an elimination of gender differences that disadvantage women compared to men living with HIV/AIDS in hospital, community, and family systems in South Africa.