Supporting women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights through Treatment as Prevention: Investigating the impact of structural and interpersonal violence on HIV and reproductive health inequities among women living with HIV in British Columbia

BC's ambitious "90-90-90" target for 2020 aims to ensure that: 1) 90 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS are aware of their status; 2) 90 percent of those diagnosed receive sustained treatment; and 3) 90 percent of those being treated achieve viral suppression. Access and uptake from all affected groups in BC would be needed to achieve this. This work aims to identify and study barriers to HIV testing and treatment and reproductive health services (e.g. cervical screening, mammograms, fertility and pregnancy services) among marginalized women living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) in BC.

Specific areas of study will include:

• Investigating the impact on disclosure of HIV status to health care providers and intimate partners of social factors such as:
  • criminalization of drug use and sex work
  • gender-based violence
• Investigating the spatial distribution and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health services and their impact on reproductive health outcomes (e.g. contraceptive usage, cervical screening, unintended pregnancy)
• Exploring challenges faced by WLWHA with families, including how caregiving demands and gender-based violence affect treatment access and compliance.

The intended outcome of the work is to recommend improved service delivery methods for HIV testing, treatment and reproductive health care with an ultimate goal of informing policies and programming.