The 2004 UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic reports that of the approximately 40 million people living with HIV at the end of 2003 almost 50% are women. Many of these women live in sub-Saharan Africa where they account for 57% of all individuals living with the virus. However, the increase in the proportion of women living with HIV is happening in all areas of the world, notably in Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Within sub-Saharan Africa there is an average of 13 women living with the virus for every ten positive men. However, in younger people this difference is more pronounced. In South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe young women (aged 15-24 years) are three to six times more likely to be infected than young men.

Department of Health statistics report that in the UK, by the end of 2004 68,556 individuals had been diagnosed HIV-positive of whom almost 18,500 (26%) were women. However, the proportion of women being diagnosed positive has been increasing in recent years. In 2004 and 2003 women accounted for ove 40% of new diagnoses made. Most of these new infections were transmitted via heterosexual intercourse and most of them occurred in Black African women.

Many sub-Saharan countries and countries in the Caribbean have longstanding links with the UK. For example, many people come over from these countries to visit relatives or to study. Also, of course, lots of people will visit the UK from these areas as tourists. The demographic changes in recent years of the epidemic have meant that services have often had to change their approaches to their work.

The increase in the proportion of women becoming infected is related to women’s ‘increased vulnerability’ to HIV infection.