Ensuring sexual and reproductive health for people living with HIV: an overview of key human rights, policy and health systems issues.
Despite rhetorical attention there is little programmatic guidance as to how best to ensure that women and men living with HIV have access to sexual and reproductive health services that help them realise their reproductive goals, while ensuring their human rights. A dynamic relationship exists between the manner in which health services and programmes are delivered, and the individuals who seek these services. A review of the literature shows clear gaps and highlights areas of concern not yet sufficiently addressed. The delivery and use of health services and programmes is shaped by the underlying determinants of people's access to and use of these services, the health systems in place at community and country level, and the legal and policy environment these systems operate in. Few governments can provide the full range of services that might be required by their populations. In most places, people access health services from a variety of formal and informal providers, and health-related behaviour is influenced from many directions. The synergistic roles of health systems, law and policy and underlying social determinants in helping or hindering the development and delivery of adequate programmes and services for HIV positive people must be addressed.
Gruskin
Sofia
S
Program on International Health and Human Rights, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. sgruskin@hsph.harvard.edu
Ferguson
Laura
L
O'Malley
Jeffrey
J
D001942:Breast Feeding; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D005380:Financing, Government; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000458:organization & administration; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D036801:Parturition; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011287:Prejudice; D034121:Reproductive Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D046269:Reproductive Rights; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors