The Provider's Role in Retaining Black Women With HIV in Care: A Scoping Review

• Published in: Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care Vol. 23; p. 23259582231224232
• Main Authors: Hassan, Kenja S, Coon, David W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SAGE Publications 01.01.2024; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Black or African American; Black People; Databases, Factual; Female; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - psychology; Humans; Medication Adherence - psychology; Review; United States - epidemiology; United States; patient–provider interaction; facilitators to care; women with HIV; Black women; adherence; retention in care; HIV positive; African American women
• ISSN: 2325-9582; 2325-9574; 2325-9582
• DOI: 10.1177/23259582231224232

Black/African American women represent 54% of new HIV cases among all women in the United States, face higher rates of morbidity and mortality, and are often understudied. The patient-provider relationship is an important motivator to keeping people who live with HIV retained in care and adherent to a medical regimen, thereby improving chances for viral suppression and maintaining overall better health. This scoping review sought to determine the extent of documented provider actions that encourage Black women with HIV to stay engaged in care. The review investigated five databases for peer-reviewed studies in the United States that included Black women from 2009 to 2023 and specifically described beneficial provider actions or behaviors. Of 526 records, 12 met the criteria. Studies revealed that women are motivated by providers who create a respectful, nonjudgmental emotionally supportive relationship with them rather than those who rely on an authoritative transactional exchange of information and orders.