Trauma-related conditions drive deaths in women with HIV

Women with HIV most often die from preventable, trauma-related conditions like substance use and mental illness - not the virus itself. Yet, these leading causes are largely missing from official death records, according to new research by UC San Francisco.

The researchers said the findings support establishing broader goals for HIV care than simply trying to control the virus.

"Helping women with HIV survive," he added, "requires a focus on healing from the many conditions related to past trauma - addiction, depression, stigma, isolation - much more so than focusing on getting people on antiretrovirals and having their viral load go down."

"This model of trauma-informed health care should be standard"

"Because of what we learned, we have designed all of our care and services to help our patients feel safe and heal from past trauma," said study co-author Katy Davis, PhD, a social worker and trauma therapist who co-directs the clinic. "This model of trauma-informed health care should be standard for everyone with HIV so they can have long healthy lives."

Source:

University of California - San Francisco

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