Kathleen M Weber, Daniel Merenstein, Denise M. Bruno, María L. Alcaide, Rose Calixte, Rachael Farah-Abraham, Anjali Sharma, Deborah Konkle‐Parker, Susan Holman, Catalina Ramirez, Tracey E. Wilson, Mallory O. Johnson, Elizabeth F. Topper
As women living with HIV (WWH) age, screening for common comorbid conditions is increasingly important. However, gaps exist in how best to support mammography adherence among WWH. To examine relationships between health care empowerment (HCE) and mammography adherence, we analyzed data from the Women's Interagency HIV Study. HCE is defined as (a) being informed, committed, collaborative, and engaged in one's health care and (b) tolerant of uncertainties in treatment outcomes. Of 846 WWH, 68.7% reported mammogram receipt over a 2-year period following HCE scale completion. Multiple logistic regression analysis found that women reporting mammograms had higher informed, committed, collaborative, and engaged in one's health care scores than those who did not (adjusted odds ratio = 1.10, 95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.20, p = .02), adjusting for model covariates. Being tolerant of uncertainties in treatment outcomes was not associated with mammogram receipt. These findings expand research on modifiable determinants of mammography screening, the role of HCE, and can inform interventions to improve health outcomes among WWH.