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The food and nutrition concerns of a sample of nonimmigrant,low-income women living with HIV

University of British Columbia

The number of women living with poverty, HIV, and substance use is increasing in British Columbia and in Canada. Women living in poverty lack sufficient money to buy food. HIV and substance use have been shown to increase the risk for weight loss but women are also exposed to cultural weight norms that valorize thinness. Local funding is available for complementary therapies but little is known about the meanings of these therapies for women living with HIV. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the effect of these potentially conflicting issues on the food and nutrition concerns of a sample of low-income nonimmigrant women living with HIV and to compare their concerns to the assumptions made in a sample of food and nutrition documents. Thirteen nonimmigrant participants receiving income assistance, most of whom had a history of substance use, were recruited through an HIV clinic and an HIV support organization. Fifteen semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted; two of the participants were interviewed twice. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed for relevant themes. Documents were analyzed for assumptions about the reader. The participants lacked money to buy appropriate foods because income assistance was inadequate and they spent food money on drugs. Substance use negatively affected their food intakes and weights. Societal pressures to be thin, HIV concerns, and poverty were associated with positive and negative perceptions of weight and body shape changes. Through analysis of the data, different eating patterns became apparent: eating, not eating, healthy/unhealthy eating, and eating for HIV. Most of the women were striving for healthy eating when trying to eat for their HIV. Although most of the participants were using complementary therapies, they did not have a keen interest in them. Assumptions made in food and nutrition documents did not reflect the concerns of the participants. Because of the profound effects of poverty, substance use, and dominant weight norms for women on food, nutrition, and weight concerns, dietitians need to assess their clients' circumstances to provide relevant advice. To be successful, nutritional goals will have to take the clients' own priorities into account.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-07-07

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/10327

Food Science

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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