Grant: Project Grant

In Canada as of 2019, a woman's life expectancy is 4 years longer than a man's. However, when a woman is HIV-positive, not only is her life expectancy 5-10 years shorter than other women her age who do not live with HIV, but it is also 7 years less than that of a man who is HIV-positive. This may be related to changes in levels of sex and stress hormones that when normal would protect a woman's bones, heart and other organs. Women who live with HIV more often have a history of having menstrual periods that are not regular or went away entirely for a while. They also reach menopause earlier than women without HIV. These changes are associated with women having more difficulty with kidney, bone and liver disease, and with abnormal cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Thus, women who have HIV and have a history of abnormal menstrual periods may have an increased risk of several diseases of aging and at an earlier age. Here we aim to determine how abnormal menstrual periods and hormone levels affect and are affected by social factors and gender inequity to have an effect on diseases of aging and the reproductive health of women living with HIV. With this information we can improve care for women and in so doing prevent disease, and promote healthy aging.