How the COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced HIV Care: Are We Prepared Enough for Future Pandemics? An Assessment of Factors Influencing Access, Utilization, Affordability, and Motivation to Engage with HIV Services amongst African, Caribbean, and Black Women
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Design and Research Question
2.2. Setting and Sample
2.3. Data Collection and Analysis
2.4. Ethical Considerations
3. Results
3.1. Demographic Characteristics
3.2. Access to HIV Services
That day when the doctor told me? I think it was a receptionist, he said “go back home. We can’t help you, get that number [and] call [it]”. Yes, I’m a black, my English [is] not good. Why don’t [you] help me like a mother or like a sister. They didn’t help call. They didn’t help me. They just send me away, that is it.Maya
It affected me in many ways, there was a time I was not feeling well. And I wanted to meet with the doctor, [but] it was not possible because they were only meeting with people on Zoom or [the] telephone for those who cannot come on Zoom. But I wanted to explain to them how I was feeling at that time but it was not possible.Lucy
Well, it did not affect me badly. No, because as I told you, the hospital [name redacted], if [there is] anything they want to do for me [referring to medical procedures], they will just email me or text me or if they want for me to go and do tests, they will arrange everything for me whatsoever, they will just give me the dates or time, then I will go there … If they see any fault on me, they will call me straight to come and see how they can take care of that.
3.3. Utilization of HIV Care Services
Yeah, it affected me at the time because I used to go to the clinic. And then now it was on Zoom. And again whenever you were sick between the course of time [the time of the pandemic] you couldn’t even see somebody because nurses and doctors were busy in the hospital attending to the Covid cases.
3.4. Affordability of HIV Care Services
I don’t think that COVID has affected it, it’s just people that are on disability, you are limited as to how much you can earn. And then therefore, you might not be able to pay for out of pocket services or medications. Because not all medications are covered by the healthcard.
If there was a service center that I could go to here on the island, but I would say that that’s just mainly for women like me or women living with HIV that can go and access services like that, or maybe I don’t know, support services, support groups like that, because I don’t think there’s any that I’ve come across here.
It [COVID-19] was a blessing in disguise because we got funding. We were not going to get that funding anyway. We got funding, the emergency funding, it was a lot of money, people ended up being happy, having food. Even those who were not working, it was a good time, even those who lost jobs, they benefited a lot from the funding.Lucy
3.5. Motivation to Engage with HIV Care Services
You’d get scared of going to the hospital. You think when you go to Hospital you will fall sick of COVID … you’re scared to go. You’re always scared to go to the hospital.Jessica
3.6. Summary of Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variable | Mean (M) or n | % |
---|---|---|
Gender | ||
Cisgender | n = 17 | 94 |
Transgender | n = 1 | 6 |
Sexual Orientation | ||
Heterosexual | n = 18 | 100 |
Number of Years Living with HIV | M = 14 Range = 4–26 | |
Racial Identity | ||
African | n = 10 | 55 |
Caribbean | n = 1 | 6 |
Black | n = 1 | 6 |
African/Black | n = 6 | 33 |
Work Status | ||
Full-time | n = 8 | 22 |
Part-time/Casual | n = 4 | 45 |
Unemployed | n = 6 | 33 |
Income | M = CAD 1862 Range = CAD 600–4000 | |
Primary Location of Accessing HIV Care Services | ||
Specialized Women and Children’s Community Health Centre | n = 9 | 50 |
Outpatient Interdisciplinary Services | n = 4 | 22 |
Hospital | n = 5 | 28 |
Residency Status in Canada | ||
Citizen | n = 6 | 33 |
Permanent Resident | n = 11 | 61 |
Student/Temporary Resident Status | n = 1 | 6 |
Age | M = 47 Range = 21–71 |
Variable | Access | Utilization | Affordability | Motivation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-existing factors (factors before the COVID-19 pandemic) | Effective communication by healthcare professionals | No changes | Direct costs of care covered by BC provincial health services Indirect health costs are not covered (i.e., dental, optometry) | No changes |
COVID-19 mediating factors (factors intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic) | Telehealth/remote service delivery Impersonal/inadequate service delivery Removal of social support and mental health services | Dismissed by healthcare professionals Difficulty accessing medication refills | Inflation and increasing cost of living Travel expenses (to access care services) Funding/grocery store gift cards | Fear Misinformation about COVID-19 Depression |
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McKay, E.; Ojukwu, E.; Hirani, S.; Sotindjo, T.; Okedo-Alex, I.; Magagula, P. How the COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced HIV Care: Are We Prepared Enough for Future Pandemics? An Assessment of Factors Influencing Access, Utilization, Affordability, and Motivation to Engage with HIV Services amongst African, Caribbean, and Black Women. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6051. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20116051
McKay E, Ojukwu E, Hirani S, Sotindjo T, Okedo-Alex I, Magagula P. How the COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced HIV Care: Are We Prepared Enough for Future Pandemics? An Assessment of Factors Influencing Access, Utilization, Affordability, and Motivation to Engage with HIV Services amongst African, Caribbean, and Black Women. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(11):6051. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20116051
Chicago/Turabian StyleMcKay, Emily, Emmanuela Ojukwu, Saima Hirani, Tatiana Sotindjo, Ijeoma Okedo-Alex, and Patience Magagula. 2023. "How the COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced HIV Care: Are We Prepared Enough for Future Pandemics? An Assessment of Factors Influencing Access, Utilization, Affordability, and Motivation to Engage with HIV Services amongst African, Caribbean, and Black Women" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 11: 6051. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20116051