Publications by authors named "Victoria Bustamante-Avellaneda"

Increasing attention has been paid to older adults living with HIV over the past few years given the increasing prevalence of HIV in this age group. Yet, despite numerous studies documenting psychosocial and behavioral differences between older and younger HIV-infected adults, few evidence-based behavioral interventions have been developed for this population. This review found only 12 manuscripts describing behavioral intervention studies in older HIV-positive adults published between 2011 and 2014, and they reported on a total of six interventions.

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Comprehensive prenatal care for HIV-infected women in the United States involves addressing mental health needs. Retrospective quantitative data are presented from HIV-infected pregnant women (n = 45) who reported childhood sexual or physical abuse (66%), abuse in adulthood by a sexual partner (25%), and abuse during pregnancy (10%). Depression and anxiety were the most commonly reported psychological symptoms; more than half of the sample reported symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including HIV-related PTSD (PTSD-HIV).

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Article Synopsis
  • Older women are increasingly at risk for HIV but are often overlooked in public health campaigns and prevention studies, based on misconceptions about their sexual activity.
  • Project ROADMAP, a secondary prevention intervention aimed at older adults living with HIV, showed promising results, as female participants reported reduced high-risk sexual behavior compared to a control group.
  • The study also found that the intervention improved participants' HIV-related knowledge and decreased stigma, highlighting its effectiveness for this unique cohort.
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The number of older adults living with HIV/AIDS is larger than ever. Little is known about their sexual behaviors, although contrary to stereotypes, older adults desire and engage in sexual activity. Despite increased recognition of the need for prevention interventions targeting HIV-positive individuals, no secondary HIV prevention interventions have specifically targeted the older HIV-positive adult.

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