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KATINKA DE WET & EDWIN WOUTERS UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA &

A LONGITUDINAL IN-DEPTH STUDY OF GENDER-SPECIFIC EXPERIENCES IN ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT IN PATIENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA. KATINKA DE WET & EDWIN WOUTERS UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA & UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP, BELGIUM 19 TH INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE WASHINGTON, USA.

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KATINKA DE WET & EDWIN WOUTERS UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA &

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  1. A LONGITUDINAL IN-DEPTH STUDY OF GENDER-SPECIFIC EXPERIENCES IN ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT IN PATIENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA KATINKA DE WET & EDWIN WOUTERS UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA & UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP, BELGIUM 19TH INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE WASHINGTON, USA

  2. iNTRODUCTION • Difference in infection rates between men and women • Reasons • World Health Organisation • Essentialised notions of gender? • Our aim: • Contribute to nuanced view of gender similarities and differences being HIV-positive and taking antiretroviral treatment.

  3. Research participants & research site • 12 men and 12 women • Recruited for a previous study in all 5 districts within the Free State province (2007-2010) • In-depth & longitudinal study only in the Motheo district • Characteristics • Age (women 26 – 59; men 35 – 49) • Treatment • Marital status • Children

  4. Questioning essentialised notions of being a man or a woman: similar and shared experiences • KNOWLEDGE OF HIV AND ART • Biomedical understanding • Can be contributed to Drug Readiness Training with focus on behavioural change and adaptation • Examples of two women:

  5. HIGH LEVEL OF ACCEPTANCE OR “INCORPORATING” ILLNESS INTO IDENTITY • High levels of adherence – linked to high level of acceptance • Also for men: despite stereotyped notions related to masculinity • Issues of disclosure

  6. Affirming the continued gendered nature of hiv and aids: dissonant experiences on art • SIDE EFFECTS, PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES • Issues of lipodystrophy • More problematic for women • Example of one woman:

  7. THE NOTION OF “DEPENDENCE” • Roles of responsibility of men and women who are HIV-positive and on treatment • Most men moved back to original family members for care and support • Most women continue with normal day-to-day caring activities (work, children, chores, extended family, giving support)

  8. Concluding remarks • Field work still continuing (until 2014) • In-depth, longitudinal research – potential to unpacksome essentialised notions of various taken for granted concepts.

  9. funding • This study is made possible by funds from the South African National Research Foundation – Blue Skies Programme as well as funds from the University of Antwerp. • We declare that there is no conflict of interest in this research. THANK YOU

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