15th Annual Conference of the British HIV Association 1-3 April 2009, Liverpool, UK

HOUSING AND HIV: THE IMPACT OF HOUSING ON THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV – AN ANALYSIS

HIV Med 2009 Apr 1-3 (Suppl 1);15:17 (abstract no. P10)

Y Azad and J Anderson
NAT, London, UK

BACKGROUND: Although housing is known to be a key concern for people living with HIV, particularly those experiencing poverty, there is little data on the scale or impact of this in the UK. A survey of people living with HIV in 2002 found that almost a quarter of respondents had experienced housing related problems during the previous 12 months. To further explore the relationship between HIV and housing and assess the impact of poor housing on the health of people with HIV an analysis of the current situation has been carried out by NAT and Shelter.

METHODS: The existing literature (peer reviewed and grey) on HIV, housing and homelessness was reviewed. Representatives of organizations providing housing support to people with HIV were interviewed either by telephone or face-to-face. Interviews were conducted with individuals from ten specialist organizations.

RESULTS: The analysis demonstrated that people living with HIV have particular needs which put them at greater risk of ill-health when their housing needs are not met; too often these needs are neglected or misunderstood by housing professionals. The themes that emerged from the analysis reinforced the undermining impact of poor quality, inappropriate housing on an individual’s health. Examples included the ways in which poor housing made adherence to treatment difficult, increasing individual vulnerability to TB, predisposing people to ill-health and associated detriment in immune function, and acting as a major cause of stress and depression with an impact on treatment success. The findings form the basis of a recent report published by NAT and include recommendations for local authorities and the government to ensure that the housing needs of people living with HIV are met.

CONCLUSIONS: HIV is an issue that needs to be on the housing agenda and vice versa. NAT and Shelter are using the data from this analysis to develop guidance for housing professionals on HIV and its impact on housing needs. This guidance will be published and disseminated in the first quarter of 2009.

2009-04-01
P10

Copyright © 2009 - British HIV Association (BHIVA) Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BHIVA Organising Secretariat 1 Mountview Court, 310 Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 0LD