Studies have found that many HIV-positive black Africans faced major social issues related to immigration, housing, employment, and income. As a result, HIV was only one of many issues and it was not necessarily the most important. Treatment issues were a lower priority than practical day-to-day living concerns, such as housing and having enough money to buy food and clothing. The largest differential between African and white British people with HIV was the extent to which basic practical needs were problematic. Being a woman, especially a mother, and being a migrant were at least as important as HIV status in shaping the lives of HIV-positive African women in London.

The NASAH and PADARE project both showed that the respondents were well qualified, with almost all respondents having some qualifications and about one-half with college or University education. However, the numbers in employment were low (less than 20%), with almost one-half unemployed and registered for benefits. Most respondents in both studies thus had limited access to economic resources, and poverty characterized their lives, despite their high educational levels. This trend was also noted among African women with HIV in London. Similarly, the SHIBAH project found that fewer than 20% of respondents were employed for over ten hours per week. The Access All Areas study findings were similar, with 80% of respondents educated to degree level or above, but only 22% in some form of employment or voluntary work.