HIV-positive women underrepresented in HIV research

97

Mulheres soropositivas estão, nos dias de hoje em absoluta paridade de um para um no que tange ao número de pessoas vivendo com HIV. No entanto, em determinadas faixas etárias, entre os 12  e os 18 anos é notável uma inversão nestes números. Vamos falar um pouco sobre …

…Mulheres soropositivas

Considerando que já foi de 37 homens para uma mulher, muita coisa mudou e, no entanto, as mulheres são parte menor representada, a despeito inclusive de sua vulnerabilidade maior para o HIV.

Se você levar em conta que mesmo no site onde eu encontrei este estudo não outro similar, é bem irritante esta situação. e eu pretendo trabalhar um pouco mais sobre isso nos próximos dias. Não me foi possível fazer isso antes e eu peço desculpas. 

Agora o texto em si:

Mulheres soropositivas são negligenciadas em estudos

Less than a quarter of the population participating in clinical trials of antiretroviral drugs are women, potentially limiting the generalizability of findings, according to a systematic review published in the February 1 issue of Journal of acquired immunodeficiency syndromes.

The authors state that gender differences in prevalence, incidence, symptoms, and disease progression as well as outcomes have been noted across a range of diseases. Differences in pharmacokinetics (how drugs are absorbed and distributed in the body) and pharmacodynamics (the effect of a medication on the body) can result in differences in side effects and response to treatment.

 

Mulheres Soropositivas Tem muito a recuperar em termos de direitos e atenção médica

Além disso as diferenças de gênero no poder, relacionamentos pessoais, as experiências de vida e de aprendizagem sistêmica no domínio da saúde podem influenciar as pessoas sob risco de infecção, comportamento de busca da saúde e utilização de serviços de saúde.

Limited participation by women is a concern for clinical trials across a wide range of disease areas, but the problem appears to be particularly acute in patients with HIV.

The researchers, evaluating clinical trials of antiretroviral drugs (of any phase) that have been published in eight major medical journals. In order to examine evolution over time, three time periods were selected: 1994-1997, 2001-2004 and 2008-2011.

In 387 separate studies with 95,305 participants, only 23% of participants were female. The average proportion in each individual study was 19%. The average has improved over time – from 9% in the mid-nineties to 22% more recently.

Apesar do “pareamento entre os gêneros” Mulheres Soropositivas não recebem a mesma atenção em Estudos

Research carried out in countries with higher incomes has a smaller number of female subjects, as well as female subjects, involved in these studies.

Empresas farmacêuticas ignoram Mulheres soropositivas em larga escala

Studies funded by universities and charitable foundations recruited more women than pharmaceutical companies and public bodies. Although the US National Institutes of Health has been legally obligated since 1993 to fund only studies that will allow for meaningful gender comparisons, the third of the studies they funded, in part, had only 20% female participants.

The researchers also examined 53 clinical trials of vaccines for HIV prevention. An average of 38% of participants were women. However across 104 studies working towards a cure for HIV, the average female participation rate was just 11%, with more than a quarter of the studies not recruiting women at all despite both sexes being eligible.

“Our study showed a persistent underrepresentation of women in HIV clinical trials,” comment the authors. “Only with sufficient knowledge of sex and gender differences and similarities can evidence-based treatment, prevention, and care be delivered optimally to both men and women living with or at risk for HIV.”

Gravidez serve como obstáculo em estudos médicos

They note barriers that limit women's participation in studies – security issues especially in relation to unborn children, requirements for the use of contraceptives while taking part in the study, the need to take care of the family and take care of responsibilities while honoring time commitments is challenging, and socioeconomic inequalities, as much as, and importantly, low education and lack of understanding of what studies entail.

Há muito a se fazer por mulheres soropositivas

The authors also point to a  Phase III clinical trial in the United States set to address these barriers, in which 67% of participants were women (mainly women of color). Clinics with large numbers of female patients (primarily in the Deep South) were selected as study sites even if they had less experience running clinical trials; study sites had quotas requiring more female subjects than male participants; an experienced patient advocate worked with clinics on personalized recruitment strategies; awareness activities were conducted; community groups were contracted with reimbursement of transport and reception costs and registration criteria were publicized; were broad.

However those running this trial reflected that they should have paid as much attention to retention strategies as they did to initial recruitment – ​​personalized support to help women continue to engage in healthcare may have better retention in this study.

Translated by Cláudio Souza, from the original by Roger Pebody in Women under-represented in HIV clinical trials in 12 February 2016