Sophie Strachan, Elizabeth Senkoro, Wezi Thamm, Jacqui Stevenson, Frances Lander, Nicoletta Policek, Caterina Candela, Fiona Muir, Marta Boffito
{"title":"COVID-19大流行封锁对具有非洲黑人和/或加勒比黑人血统的艾滋病毒感染者的影响。","authors":"Sophie Strachan, Elizabeth Senkoro, Wezi Thamm, Jacqui Stevenson, Frances Lander, Nicoletta Policek, Caterina Candela, Fiona Muir, Marta Boffito","doi":"10.1080/25787489.2025.2464510","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Treatment, adherence and linkage to care are lower in Black African and Black Caribbean heritage women living with HIV, affected by significant psychosocial challenges compared to other groups. The COVID-19 lockdowns further amplified these inequalities. We aimed to assess its impact on this population across Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used an online survey and in-depth interviews to collect data between 01-10-2022 and 01-06-2023. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the survey data and thematic analysis was adopted to analyze the qualitative data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 393 women contacted, 36 completed the survey and 22 took part in interviews. The survey found that COVID-19 lockdown restrictions worsened anxiety (48%) and low mood (45%). 54% reported that the experience of COVID-19 triggered the trauma of their initial HIV diagnosis. Interviewed participants discussed how their psychological issues and co-morbidities were not always addressed by their care system. Stigma and being forced to share their HIV information were also prominent issues.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There is continued institutional stigma and discrimination in health care settings for women living with HIV of African or Caribbean heritage, and there is an urgent need to address the inequity in care to improve patients' experience post-pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":13165,"journal":{"name":"HIV Research & Clinical Practice","volume":"26 1","pages":"2464510"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in women living with HIV who have a Black African and/or Black Caribbean heritage.\",\"authors\":\"Sophie Strachan, Elizabeth Senkoro, Wezi Thamm, Jacqui Stevenson, Frances Lander, Nicoletta Policek, Caterina Candela, Fiona Muir, Marta Boffito\",\"doi\":\"10.1080/25787489.2025.2464510\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Treatment, adherence and linkage to care are lower in Black African and Black Caribbean heritage women living with HIV, affected by significant psychosocial challenges compared to other groups. The COVID-19 lockdowns further amplified these inequalities. We aimed to assess its impact on this population across Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used an online survey and in-depth interviews to collect data between 01-10-2022 and 01-06-2023. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the survey data and thematic analysis was adopted to analyze the qualitative data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 393 women contacted, 36 completed the survey and 22 took part in interviews. The survey found that COVID-19 lockdown restrictions worsened anxiety (48%) and low mood (45%). 54% reported that the experience of COVID-19 triggered the trauma of their initial HIV diagnosis. Interviewed participants discussed how their psychological issues and co-morbidities were not always addressed by their care system. Stigma and being forced to share their HIV information were also prominent issues.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There is continued institutional stigma and discrimination in health care settings for women living with HIV of African or Caribbean heritage, and there is an urgent need to address the inequity in care to improve patients' experience post-pandemic.</p>\",\"PeriodicalId\":13165,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"HIV Research & Clinical Practice\",\"volume\":\"26 1\",\"pages\":\"2464510\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":1.7000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-12-01\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"HIV Research & Clinical Practice\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"3\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://doi.org/10.1080/25787489.2025.2464510\",\"RegionNum\":4,\"RegionCategory\":\"医学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"2025/2/13 0:00:00\",\"PubModel\":\"Epub\",\"JCR\":\"Q3\",\"JCRName\":\"INFECTIOUS DISEASES\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"HIV Research & Clinical Practice","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25787489.2025.2464510","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/2/13 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"INFECTIOUS DISEASES","Score":null,"Total":0}
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in women living with HIV who have a Black African and/or Black Caribbean heritage.
Objective: Treatment, adherence and linkage to care are lower in Black African and Black Caribbean heritage women living with HIV, affected by significant psychosocial challenges compared to other groups. The COVID-19 lockdowns further amplified these inequalities. We aimed to assess its impact on this population across Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Methods: We used an online survey and in-depth interviews to collect data between 01-10-2022 and 01-06-2023. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the survey data and thematic analysis was adopted to analyze the qualitative data.
Results: Of 393 women contacted, 36 completed the survey and 22 took part in interviews. The survey found that COVID-19 lockdown restrictions worsened anxiety (48%) and low mood (45%). 54% reported that the experience of COVID-19 triggered the trauma of their initial HIV diagnosis. Interviewed participants discussed how their psychological issues and co-morbidities were not always addressed by their care system. Stigma and being forced to share their HIV information were also prominent issues.
Conclusions: There is continued institutional stigma and discrimination in health care settings for women living with HIV of African or Caribbean heritage, and there is an urgent need to address the inequity in care to improve patients' experience post-pandemic.