Gender Disparities in HIV Risk Behavior and Access to Health Care in St. Petersburg, Russia

Over 40,000 HIV-infected individuals live in St Petersburg, Russia. Population characteristics and barriers to care are largely undefined. 152 consecutive patients receiving HIV care at two sites completed a questionnaire in Spring 2011. Rates of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, alcohol use, and rates of antiretroviral uptake were similar by gender. Males reported a higher history of injection drug use (80.3% vs. 48.7%; p < 0.01) and tuberculosis infection (18.8% vs. 1.6%; p < 0.01). Females were more likely to have had a child (63.3% vs. 31.5%; p < 0.01) and be currently raising that child within their residence (49.3% vs. 15.3%; p < 0.01). Unprotected sex (60.5% vs. 17.8%; p < 0.01) and a history of sexually transmitted infection (37.7% vs. 20.3%; p = 0.03) were more common in females. Females utilized social services more frequently (34.2% vs. 11.9%; p < 0.01). There is a heavy burden of concurrent infectious disease, substance use and abuse, mental health illness, and need for social service support in this population. Important differences exist between genders in service uptake and utilization. Further evaluation of these differences may help inform the allocation of limited resources in this high HIV prevalence region of Russia.