Summary
Correctional facilities can expect to care for an increasing number of HIV-infected women. Healthcare providers have a unique chance to educate and empower this population, which is at increased risk for HIV infection, and has high rates of HIV infection. Providers will need to be aware of the gender-specific issues in HIV care, such as  gynecologic complications of HIV infection, management of the HIV positive pregnant woman, and monitoring for the metabolic toxicities of antiretroviral therapy, which may be more severe or more apparent in women. New appreciation of these toxicities has led to more conservative recommendations for antiretroviral use, which should be interpreted in light of the gender differences seen in HIV-1 viral loads. Regular monitoring of multiple parameters can help pick up metabolic toxicites of antiretroviral therapy before patients are clinically symptomatic.

CONTINUE...
 

• HIV Testing in the Correctional Setting
• Treatment of HIV-Infected Women
• Current Recommendations for Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy
• Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy in Women
• Selected Antiretroviral Toxicities and Monitoring
• Summary
• Figure 1 & Table 1
• References

HEPP News is published twelve times a year by the: HIV Education/Prison Project at the Brown University AIDS Program Box G-B426 Brown University Providence, Rhode Island 02912 401-863-2180 fax 401-863-1243 heppnews@brown.edu