White Women with HIV In the United States: A Scoping Review

Background

Since the early stages of the epidemic, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) research has primarily focused on populations most affected. Consequently, other groups living with HIV may have received less research attention. White women represent approximately 24% of HIV diagnoses among women in the United States (U.S.; CDC, 2022), yet they are seldom included in HIV intervention studies. Further, from 2015 to 2019, White women were the only group to experience an increase in HIV diagnoses (11%), and rates remained consistent through 2022. Despite this epidemiological trend, it is hypothesized that the research literature has not given this population sufficient attention to inform intervention. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review is to examine the representation and characteristics of White women in U.S. HIV-related intervention studies. An ancillary aim is to identify gaps in attention to this population within the field.

Methods

Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, and EBSCOhost (all databases) to capture the full span of the HIV epidemic. Inclusion studies had to have been: (1) empirical articles, (2) conducted in the U.S., (3) peer-reviewed, and (4) focused on White women with HIV as participants. Search terms included HIV/AIDS, intervention-related terms (intervention, prevention, program, adherence, treatment), and White or Caucasian women. After removing duplicates, 75 abstracts met the initial screening criteria. Ultimately, eight studies specifically focused on White women and met inclusion criteria.

Results

Seven studies focused on marginalized White women facing poverty, substance use, housing issues, or incarceration. One included non-marginalized women. No study specifically examined middle-class, housed, or employed White women. Socioeconomic data were inconsistently reported, complicating identification of non-marginalized participants. Three studies were published in the 1990s, four in the 2000s, and one in the 2010s.
Implications

This scoping review reveals that research focusing on White women with HIV in the U.S. is very limited. Despite recent increases in diagnoses, research has not grown; it has receded. This review shows most research on White women with HIV in the U.S. targets marginalized groups. Unlike many other diseases, HIV carries stigma and shame that prevent women from seeking care regardless of their resources. “My asthma is visible to everyone. During an attack, I double over because I can't breathe, and I have no problem holding my inhaler in public for all to see. People don't judge it the same way. Asthma isn't contagious. It's a lung disease, not a sexually transmitted disease. It's different. I carry a mark of shame."(Age 31, single, diagnosed in 2012; Arm et al.,2025).
Further, data on the socioeconomic breakdown of White women with HIV are limited. Non-marginalized White women with HIV exist, but their experiences, needs, and treatment settings are largely unexplored. Future research, including White women from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, could strengthen the evidence base.