title: Differential diffusion of HIV technologies by gender: the case of highly active antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: We sought to examine whether diffusion of new HIV technologies differed by gender in the United States, the source of any such disparities, and whether disparities narrow over time as technologies become more established. In particular, we assess how rates of use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) varied between males and females during the late 1990s, when HAART was rapidly diffusing. We examined data from a prospective cohort study of a national probability sample of 1421 HIV-infected adults in medical care who were enrolled in the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study (HCSUS) from January 1996 to December 1998. We found that HAART use substantially increased between 1996 and early 1998 for all groups. Women were less likely to receive HAART at all time points, although the diffusion of HAART between 1996 and 1998 reduced gender disparities. Gender disparities in 1998 were only partially explained by women's lower income and educational levels. We conclude that HAART therapy diffused more slowly to HIV-positive females than other groups. Policies that reduce the impact of income and education inequalities on health care may help to narrow gender disparities for new HIV technologies, but other factors may also disadvantage women.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA. David_Eisenman@rand.org
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eisenman
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bogart
authors.forename: Chloe E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Bird
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Golinelli
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fremont
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cunningham
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents