- Researchers compared substance use between HIV-positive and HIV-negative women
- Women living with HIV were more likely to report use of most substances except alcohol
- Study authors call for harm reduction programs tailored to women living with HIV
Studies have found that substance use is relatively common among some populations at high risk for and who have HIV infection. In general, continued use of harmful levels of some substances can affect the health of the brain and other parts of the body. This can result in poor quality of life and reduced life expectancy.
Researchers who are part of the Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Study (CHIWOS) have been surveying 1,422 women living with HIV about health-related issues. This information is analysed and incorporated into reports that can be used to help guide future policy and initiatives to improve the health and well-being of HIV-positive women.
A recent analysis from CHIWOS centred on information collected from HIV-positive women about their use of substances. The CHIWOS research team compared this information to a report from Statistics Canada that surveyed a representative sample of more than 40,000 HIV-negative women. The CHIWOS researchers found that, in general, HIV-positive women reported higher rates of use of most substances, except for alcohol. The researchers stated: “These findings may indicate the need for women-centred harm reduction programs to improve the health outcomes of women living with HIV in Canada.”