Poor women living with HIV: self-identified needs

Women with HIV are a growing at-risk population in our communities. They are often poor members of minority groups who have responsibilities for dependent children and other family members. They may experience physiological, psychological, and social symptoms and have needs that are unique to them as women. The purpose of this study was to give women with HIV the opportunity to identify their needs. Using the Objects Content Test, 48 women attending HIV clinics in a midsouth city listed 349 needs: 32% psychosocial, 14% physical, 13% service and maintenance, and 11% financial and legal. It is important for nurses working with these women in the community to know how they perceive their own needs and issues to plan and provide effective health care programs for this growing group of clients.