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Delays in seeking HIV care due to competing caregiver responsibilities
M D Stein1, S Crystal, W E Cunningham
1Division of General Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. michael_stein@brown.edu
Objectives:
This study sought to describe the characteristics of HIV-infected persons who delay medical care for themselves because they are caring for others.
Methods:
HIV-infected adults (n = 2864) enrolled in the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study (1996-1997) were interviewed.
Results:
The odds were 1.6 times greater for women than for men to put off care (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2, 2.2); persons without insurance and with CD4 cell counts above 500 were also significantly more likely to put off care. Having a child in the household was associated with putting off care (odds ratio [OR] = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.4, 2.3).
Conclusions:
Women or individuals with a child in the household should be offered services that might allow them to avoid delays in seeking their own medical care.