Exploring the role of motherhood in healthcare engagement for women living with HIV in the USA

Abstract

Mothers living with HIV are faced with managing their own complex healthcare and wellness needs while caring for their children. Understanding the lived experiences of mothers living with HIV, including grandmothers and mothers with older children - who are less explicitly represented in existing literature, may guide the development of interventions that best support them and their families. This study sought to explore the role of motherhood and related social/structural factors on engagement with HIV care, treatment-seeking behaviour, and overall HIV management among mothers living with HIV in the USA to inform such efforts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between June and December 2015 with 52 mothers living with HIV, recruited from the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) sites in four US cities. Five broad themes were identified from the interviews: children as a motivation for optimal HIV management; children as providing logistical support for HIV care and treatment; the importance of social support for mothers; stressors tied to responsibilities of motherhood; and stigma about being a mother living with HIV. Findings underscore the importance of considering the demands of motherhood when developing more effective strategies to support mothers in managing HIV and promoting the overall health and well-being of their families.

Keywords:

• HIV
• motherhood
• social relationships
• disease management
• qualitative interviews

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the study participants for sharing their personal stories and experiences and dedication of the staff at the WIHS sites for their contributions. This paper benefited from editing support from the Population Health Innovation Lab (PHIL) Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning Innovations (MERLIN) team, including Stephanie Bultema and Sue Grinnell who we thank for their insights and support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Data in this manuscript were collected by the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), now the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS). MWCCS (Principal Investigators): Atlanta CRS (Ighovwerha Ofotokun, Anandi Sheth, and Gina Wingood), U01-HL146241; Data Analysis and Coordination Center (Gypsyamber D’Souza, Stephen Gange and Elizabeth Topper), U01-HL146193; Northern California CRS (Bradley Aouizerat, Jennifer Price, and Phyllis Tien), U01-HL146242; UAB-MS CRS (Mirjam-Colette Kempf, James B. Brock, Emily Levitan, and Deborah Konkle-Parker), U01-HL146192, all funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). MWCCS data collection was also supported by other NIH grants including UL1-TR000004 (UCSF CTSA), P30-AI-050409 (Atlanta CFAR), and P30-AI-027767 (UAB CFAR). The WAVE WIHS sub-study was funded by grant R01MH104114 from the US National Institute of Mental Health. The development of this manuscript was also supported by the Center for AIDS Research at Emory University (P30AI050409). The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official views of the NIH.