Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35088623›Full record

ArticleWomen's health (London, England)

Prevalence and correlates of sexual concerns and associated distress among women living with HIV in Canada.

Allison Carter, Becky Gormley, Marvelous Muchenje, Denise Zhu, Sophie Patterson, Mary Kestler, Catherine Hankins, Carmen H Logie, Lori A Brotto, Wangari Tharao and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Women's health (London, England). The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. The Sexuality of Women Living With HIV: Care Demands and Implications for Practice.Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Allison CarterKirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-2151-2622
Becky GormleyFaculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
Marvelous MuchenjeFactor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Denise ZhuFaculty of Science, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Sophie PattersonFaculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
Mary KestlerDivision of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Catherine HankinsDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Carmen H LogieFactor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Lori A BrottoDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Wangari TharaoWomen's Health in Women's Hands, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Melanie LeeFaculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
Jenny LiBritish Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Erin DingBritish Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Alexandra de PokomandyChronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Mona LoutfyWomen's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Angela KaidaFaculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Funding

Department of Health
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesWe assessed the prevalence and correlates of sexual concerns and associated distress among women living with HIV in Canada.

methodsWe analyzed cross-sectional survey data from the Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (2017-2018). Self-identified women living with HIV were asked about sexual concerns post-HIV diagnosis and associated distress (none, mild, moderate, severe). Five areas of concern were assessed, including difficulties related to sexual self-esteem, sexual function, relationships, and emotional and behavioral aspects of sex. Logistic regression analyses identified correlates of reporting any sexual concerns and severe distress about these concerns.

resultsOf 906 participants (median age 48, Q1-Q3 = 41-55), 596 (65.8%) reported sexual concerns post-HIV diagnosis. We found a high prevalence of concerns related to relationships (43.3%), sexual self-esteem (49.4%), and emotional aspects of sex (45.4%), relative to sexual functioning (38.4%) and behavioral aspects (33.7%). Of those with sexual concerns, 36.7% reported severe distress. Reports of severe distress were the highest for relationship difficulties (32.5%), relative to other areas of concern (21.4%-22.8%). In adjusted analyses, women reporting sexual dissatisfaction and high HIV-related stigma had significantly higher odds of reporting sexual concerns. Conversely, those reporting higher resilience, better mental health, African, Caribbean, and Black identity, and sex as somewhat unimportant, not at all important, or neutral to their lives had lower adjusted odds. Factors associated with severe distress about sexual concerns included older age, body dissatisfaction, sexual dissatisfaction, and high HIV-related stigma, while better mental health and getting support from someone living with HIV were protective. While 84.4% of women had discussed with a provider how viral load impacts transmission risk, only 40.6% had conversations about sexual wellbeing.

conclusionMore attention to women's sexual wellbeing within social and relational contexts is critical to ensure the sexual rights of women living with HIV are upheld.

Indexed as

HIV InfectionsCanadaCohort StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPrevalenceHIVmental healthsexual wellbeingsocial determinantswomen

Identifiers

PMID35088623
PMCPMC8801632

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.