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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1995)
ju s t o u t ▼ Ja n u a ry 2 0 , 1 9 0 9 T 9 PORTLAND’S Jen n y ’s Florist <&. G arden Center Ignorance is not bliss A national study finds that women with HIV die faster than their male counterparts Unique gifts from around the world ▼ 1200 NE Broadway by Inga Sorensen I f a woman does not present herself as a That oversight, whether it springs from igno prostitute or intravenous drug user, then rance or sexism, is costing women valuable time, her doctor won’t think it’s necessary to says Dr. Marcia K. Coodley, a Portland physi give her an HIV test— that from Tom cian who has worked extensively with women Richardson, coordinator of the Oregon with HIV. AIDS Hotline. Richardson is talking about the "Oftentimes women do not feel welcome at findings of a recent study that shows that women HIV clinics, many of which really cater to men, with HIV die faster than their male counterparts. and health care providers simply don’t see HIV The study, which was conducted in 13 cities as a woman’s face. On top of that, many physi including Portland, was unable to pinpoint a cians don’t want to ‘shame’ a female patient by medical reason for the difference in mortality asking her if she would like to be tested for HIV,” rates, speculating instead that women may wait she says. until they are sicker before seeking treatment or Coodley recounts one instance when she made may be treated differently by the medical estab a presentation to her medical colleagues in which lishment than men with HIV. she speculated that a tenacious and recurring “I’ve heard stories of women specifically yeast infection in a female patient may be an asking their doctors to give them HIV tests, but indicator that the woman has HIV. the d o cto rs tell the “Many of these health women they don’t need care providers were ap the test because they palled that I could make don’t live a high-risk such a suggestion. They lifestyle. Many doctors were almost indignant that view their female pa I would suggest that their tients as ‘good girls’ who ‘good’ patients could have could never have HIV,” HIV,” she says. says Richardson, who That was four years ago, adds the majority of calls after Coodley came to Or that come in to the hotline egon after practicing medi are from women con cine in Newark, N.J. She cerned about HIV and says, "On the West Coast, AIDS. HIV/AIDS has really hit the “It’s still very much gay male population. On a minority within the the East Coast, the rates of medical community who HIV in fec tio n am ong realize that all women women— particularly mi are at risk for HIV, not no rity w om en— appear only those within the sex much higher than here. That industry or [those who has forced health care pro are] intravenous drug viders back east to acknowl users,” he says. “Because edge that women are vul of this, women with HIV nerable to HIV.” are not diagnosed early Though women account and thus cannot receive for 15 percent of diagnosed proper treatment. The HIV cases nationally (and virus is essentially al a much smaller percentage lowed to progress freely and gain a strong foot in Oregon), women and children make up the hold.” fastest-growing segment of people with HIV. The study, which was led by Sandra L. “The crisis also affects women in a much Melnick, an epidemiologist at the University of different way than it does men,” says Coodley. Minnesota School of Public Health, tracked nearly “Women are generally the caretakers of children 4,000 men and 768 women with HIV for 15 and families. When they become sick, entire months. It found women were 33 percent more fami lies crumble. The devastation they feel when likely to die than men who were comparably ill they can’t take care of their children is enormous. when they enrolled in the study. According to the It’s heartbreaking to watch.” findings, death was the first known sign of HIV The study, which was conducted at primary infection for women more than twice as often as health care centers nationwide, is the largest of its it was for men. kind to explore the differences in HIV infection “The lack of acknowledgment among health between men and women. Fifty percent of the practitioners that women are vulnerable to HIV subjects were black or Latino/a, while 20 percent is astounding,” says Richardson. were women. / Complete selection of cut flowers and exotics ( 503 ) 284*2818 8605 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy I 7 Ü NE CLACKAMAS STREET, PORTLAND OR ( 503 ) 297*5021 (503) 331-1101 Your NEEDS must be met............................NOW. Your DREAMS must be fulfilled................... NOW. 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