June 18, 2011
TORONTO - One in four new HIV infections in Ontario are among women, a new survey shows.
Even though there have been significant advances in HIV care, 25% of new HIV infections from 2006 to 2008 were in women, according to a health study by researchers from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and St. Michael's Hospital.
Marvelous Muchenje is one of the 4,700 women in Ontario living with HIV, most of whom contracted the disease through sexual contact.
"For women in some communities, it can be difficult to negotiate safe sex," said Muchenje, 38, who is originally from Zimbabwe.
Women who emigrated from a country plagued by HIV make up more than half of the new infections in Ontario. "HIV still has a stigma and some people don't disclose to their sexual partner," Muchenje said...