Women and the Prevention of HIV Infection: An Integrative Review of the Literature

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Abstract
In the United States, recent epidemiological evidence suggests that the epidemic of AIDS is growing rapidly among women. However, the theories used to guide research in the area of prevention of HIV infection often do not account for gender. As a result, research with women has been limited and the development of interventions to reduce risk behaviors impeded. This review examines research with women and HIV related to prevention and identifies the gaps and strengths in this body of work. Content analysis was used to evaluate 40 published papers meeting the following criteria: title or abstract indicating a report of research with women and HIV/AIDS, refereed journal as source, English language, and implications for prevention of HIV among women. Findings suggest a growing awareness of women's risk of HIV, but basic research pertaining to the behavior of women related to their vulnerability to HIV infection is scant. Prevention research and evaluation of interventions are also in their infancy. This review calls attention to the need for continued research that specifically addresses women's needs in the prevention of HIV.