An HIV diagnosis may be associated with severe emotional and psychological distress, which can contribute to delays in care or poor self-management. Few studies have explored the emotional, psychological, and psychosocial impacts of an HIV diagnosis on women in low-resource settings. We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 women living with HIV in the Dominican Republic. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the biographical disruption framework. Three disruption phases emerged (impacts of a diagnosis, postdiagnosis turning points, and integration). Nearly all respondents described the news as deeply distressful and feelings of depression and loss of self-worth were common. Several reported struggling with the decision to disclose-worrying about stigma. Postdiagnosis turning points consisted of a focus on survival and motherhood; social support (family members, friends, HIV community) promoted integration. The findings suggest a need for psychological resources and social support interventions to mitigate the negative impacts of an HIV diagnosis.

An HIV diagnosis may be associated with severe emotional and psychological distress, which can contribute to delays in care or poor self-management. Few studies have explored the emotional, psychological, and psychosocial impacts of an HIV diagnosis on women in low-resource settings. We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 women living with HIV in the Dominican Republic. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the biographical disruption framework. Three disruption phases emerged (impacts of a diagnosis, postdiagnosis turning points, and integration). Nearly all respondents described the news as deeply distressful and feelings of depression and loss of self-worth were common. Several reported struggling with the decision to disclose-worrying about stigma. Postdiagnosis turning points consisted of a focus on survival and motherhood; social support (family members, friends, HIV community) promoted integration. The findings suggest a need for psychological resources and social support interventions to mitigate the negative impacts of an HIV diagnosis.

Food insecurity is an important risk factor for overweight and obesity among low-income populations in high income countries, but has not been well-studied among people living with HIV (PLHIV), particularly in resource-poor settings. To explore the association between food insecurity and overweight and obesity among PLHIV in the Dominican Republic, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 160 HIV-infected adults between March-December 2012 in four geographically-dispersed health centers (Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, San Juan, and Higuey). We collected information on household food insecurity, anthropometric measurements, and socio-demographic data and ran descriptive and multivariate analyses, controlling for fixed effects of clinics and using robust standard errors. Mean age ± SD of participants was 39.9 ± 10.5 years; 68% were women, and 78% were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). A total of 58% reported severe household food insecurity. After controlling for age, gender, income, having children at home, education, and ART status, severe food insecurity was associated with increased body mass index (BMI) (β = 1.891, p = 0.023) and body fat (β = 4.004, p = 0.007). Age and female gender were also associated with increased body fat (β = 0.259, p < 0.001 and β = 8.568, p < 0.001, respectively) and age and ART status were associated with increased waist circumference (β = 0.279, p = 0.011 and β = 5.768, p = 0.046, respectively). When overweight was examined as a dichotomous variable (BMI ≥ 25.0), severe food insecurity was associated with an increased odds of 3.060 (p = 0.013); no other covariates were independently associated with overweight. The association of severe food insecurity with increased BMI, body fat, and overweight among PLHIV has important implications for clinical care as well as food security and nutrition interventions in resource-poor settings. Integrated programs that combine nutrition education or counseling with sustainable approaches to addressing food insecurity among PLHIV are needed to improve long-term health outcomes of this vulnerable population.

Background

Food insecurity contributes to poor health outcomes among people living with HIV. In Latin America and the Caribbean, structural factors such as poverty, stigma, and inequality disproportionately affect women and may fuel both the HIV epidemic and food insecurity.

Methods

We examined factors contributing to food insecurity among women living with HIV (WLHIV) in the Dominican Republic (DR). Data collection included in-depth, semi-structured interviews in 2013 with 30 WLHIV with indications of food insecurity who resided in urban or peri-urban areas and were recruited from local HIV clinics. In-person interviews were conducted in Spanish. Transcripts were coded using content analysis methods and an inductive approach to identify principal and emergent themes.

Results

Respondents identified economic instability as the primary driver of food insecurity, precipitated by enacted stigma in the labor and social domains. Women described experiences of HIV-related labor discrimination in formal and informal sectors. Women commonly reported illegal HIV testing by employers, and subsequent dismissal if HIV-positive, especially in tourism and free trade zones. Enacted stigma in the social domain manifested as gossip and rejection by family, friends, and neighbors and physical, verbal, and sexual abuse by intimate partners, distancing women from sources of economic and food support. These experiences with discrimination and abuse contributed to internalized stigma among respondents who, as a result, were fearful and hesitant to disclose their HIV status; some participants reported leaving spouses and/or families, resulting in further isolation from economic resources, food and other support. A minority of participants described social support by friends, spouses, families and support groups, which helped to ameliorate food insecurity and emotional distress.

Conclusions

Addressing food insecurity among WLHIV requires policy and programmatic interventions to enforce existing laws designed to protect the rights of people living with HIV, reduce HIV-related stigma, and improve gender equality.