Past abuse is related to poor mental health in HIV-positive women.

2003 JUN 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Women with HIV who are young, in poor physical health, in conflict with others, and who have been physically abused by a partner in the past are at greater risk for developing mental health and drug abuse problems, according to a new study.

The study of HIV-infected women published in the May-June 2003 issue of Women's Health Issues found that women who reported past physical abuse were 2.1 times more likely to have a probable psychiatric disorder than women without a history of past abuse, according to Cathy Sherbourne, PhD, of RAND, and colleagues.

Identifying risk factors before psychiatric problems occur could help such women stick to their prescribed therapies and to seek out health care more often, said the researchers.

Sherbourne and colleagues also found that poverty and the burden of caring for someone else may keep women with HIV from obtaining necessary medical care.

"Competing needs were substantial among these women, with 52% reporting a need for income assistance, 20% reporting a need for home health care and 11% reporting going without care because money was needed instead ...