以性別平等觀點檢視女性感染愛滋病毒的風險與照顧

Women at Risk of HIV Infection and Health Care: Perspective of Gender Equality

女性及青少女面對生理、社會及文化中不平等的性別權力關係，其感染愛滋病毒的風險增加，傳統性別角色及女性為照顧者的觀念，縱使女性身為愛滋感染者，她仍得負擔起照顧的責任。性別相關的暴力是女性感染愛滋病毒的起因也是後果。特別是貧困或是女性外籍配偶，社會弱勢的處境讓她們更容易遭受家庭暴力等問題卻無處申訴。愛滋病毒感染已成為慢性病，抗愛滋病毒藥物治療能有效抑制愛滋病毒複製，延長愛滋感染者之預期壽命，女性在愛滋病照顧常被忽略或延遲診斷，醫療人員應建議女性愛滋感染者至少每半年做一次子宮頸抹篩檢，透過定期子宮頸抹片篩檢，可提早預防並治療女性愛滋感染者最常見惡性腫瘤。

Women and adolescent girls face greater physical, social and cultural vulnerability stemming from gender inequality that increases their risk of HIV infection. Although women were infected with HIV, they still have to take family care-giving role. Violence against women and girls is the cause and consequence of HIV/AIDS infection in women. Especially for poor or marriage immigrant women suffering family violence, marginalized situation silenced their voices. HIV has become a chronic disease. Antiretroviral therapy suppressed HIV viral load and prolonged life expectancy for people with HIV. HIV diagnosis and care among women are easily ignored. Healthcare providers should recommend HIV-positive women attend cervical cancer screening every six months for early detection and treatment of invasive cervical cancer.