On the Margins of Care: Women and HIV in Atlantic Canada

Abstract

This study explores the barriers to care women face living with HIV in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and also the health and support systems they navigate to improve their wellbeing. Women living with HIV are invisible within the epidemic and often to community sector employees, especially in the Maritime Provinces where men account for the largest number of diagnoses in Canada; this is a central theme in the data. The thesis is rooted in applied medical anthropology and uses qualitative and quantitative methods to capture the changing health priorities of women living with HIV as they navigate the health care systems after diagnosis. This information was used to create maps that show the availability of services in relation to women’s needs, including affordable housing, food security, accessible transportation, and reducing HIV stigma. I examine the efficiency of HIV women’s referral network in both provinces, and the way forward for organizations to meet their long-term health needs, such as widening of outreach activities and improving gendered care. The main findings of this study reveal that the barriers to care women face are not easily overcome by AIDS service organizations. Current support initiatives are no longer relevant to their lives because they are tailored mainly to men, but women increasingly value the referral activities of organizations. Among the most important contributions of this thesis is the envisioning of a women-centered care model that meets their health needs and acknowledges their diverse reality of their experiences.