For Older Women With HIV, Gaps in Diagnosis & Care Drive Outcomes

“Existing research has underscored the inadequacy of existing policies in addressing the needs of older adults living with HIV,” Kristina Kokorelias, PhD, and colleagues wrote. “Furthering our understanding of the intersectionality of social identities in the context of women aged [50 and older] living with HIV may help inform the development of inclusive policies, advocacy efforts, and health and social care interventions to better care for this aging population.”

Dr. Kokorelias and colleagues performed a systematic scoping review of studies in which older women with HIV made up 50% or more of the population. All studies focused on patients’ experiences related to age in health-specific or social settings. The researchers then synthesized information from the review and presented it to a panel of eight women with HIV aged 50 or older for responses and insights, particularly about contextualizing the findings in real life and ensuring that the review accurately reflected the experiences of this patient group.