title: HIV/AIDS in Women and Racial/Ethnic Minorities in the U.S.
abstract: The clinical issues affecting women with HIV/AIDS differ little from those affecting men. However, current research shows that treatment and outcome disparities affect many women with HIV, hypothesized to result from a complex interplay of socioeconomic and gender role influences. These disparities are also a reflection of racial/ethnic differences in treatment and outcome, since 80% of women with HIV/AIDS are black or Hispanic. Women have unique needs for HIV prevention - both prevention of sexual transmission to or from sexual partners and prevention of perinatal transmission. Racial/ethnic minorities continue to be disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. Minorities are less likely to be in care and on HAART than others with HIV/AIDS. These disparities result in poorer outcomes for minorities, especially blacks, with HIV/AIDS. New strategies for optimizing engagement and retention in care, and for prevention hold great promise for women and minorities with HIV in the U.S.
authors.affiliation: Divisions of General Medicine and Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Bulfinch 130, Boston, MA, 02114, USA, vstone@partners.org.
authors.forename: Valerie E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Stone