Nearly half of HIV-positive women in TN unaware of contraceptives: Study

CHENNAI: In a survey conducted among 986 HIV-positive women in 13 high-prevalence districts across Tamil Nadu, it was found that a shocking 48% of them had no knowledge about contraceptives.
The survey, which analysed the reporductive, child and sexual health needs of women living with HIV/AIDS in the state, also showed that over 60% of them had never heard of cervical cancer and pap smear tests even though HIV-positive women are more susceptible to cervical and breast cancer.As many as 70% of the women surveyed were daily wage laboureres and belonged to the lower economic class with a monthly income of less than Rs 5,000 a month.
More than half the women were not aware of the various sexually transmitted infections (STI) and only 3% of the women could guess that an STI was a problem related to the genitals. The survey also revealed that most HIV-positive women (60.4%) did not share information on STIs with their adolescent children and had inhibitions about discussing about sex and sexuality with their children.
The results of the survey were released during a four-day leadership training programme for HIV positive women from 10 states organised by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS) and National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) along with the Positive Women Network (PWN).
The programme hopes to address the various issues faced by HIV positive women across the country such as those related to property, violence, livelihood and sexual health. As many as 27 women from various states participated in the event and presented case studies about the various problems faced by the HIV-positive women in their respective states. The authors of 15 best case studies will be given a one-time stipend of Rs 20,000 to implement their ideas within a period of three months.
"In Tamil Nadu, one of the major issues is of women not having property rights. It is important for a HIV-positive woman to have some property to support her. If my case study is chosen, I will work towards raising awareness about this issue," said D Padmavathy, president of Tamil Nadu PWN. Varsha Gaekwad, president of Maharashtra PWN, said that issues of reproductive health plagued women in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat and she hoped to address these issues and conduct awareness camps for women in the state about cervical cancer, breast cancer and other sexually transmitted diseases.