Gender Differences in Knowledge and Perceptions of HIV Resources among Individuals Living with HIV in the Southeast

Objectives: Ancillary services have been associated with beneficial health utilization outcomes among individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), including greater retention in medical care and greater likelihood of antiretroviral use. Our primary objectives were to examine gender differences in barriers to ancillary services among people living with HIV in the Southeastern United States. Methods: Survey and chart abstraction data were collected from six tertiary infectious diseases clinics in the Southeast. Using multivariate analyses, we examined the relationship between gender and 1) knowledge of how to access HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) resource information and 2) opinions about the helpfulness of local services for people with HIV/AIDS. Results: Women were less knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS resources and rated local services less favorably than men. Middle-aged and older African-American women rated local services as less helpful than other survey participants did. Conclusions: These findings indicate a need for outreach services that are designed to address the specific needs of older African-American women, and women in general.