PTSD and HIV in Women: The Role of Gender in This Dual Diagnosis

This article is based on the authors findings from a cross-sectional descriptive study of men (n = 116) and women (n = 68) who were receiving HIV/AIDS counseling from four different community centers across New York state from March-July 2010. To ascertain the prevalence of post-traumatic stress in this population, a checklist (PCL) was employed. The responses from females and males were compared to detect gender differences in the common dual diagnosis of HIV and PTSD. The genders differed regarding several manifestations of PTSD: (1) women reported a significantly higher mean score on "feeling very upset when something reminded" them of a stressful experience from the past; (2) while not statistically significant, but noteworthy, men reported they were more likely to feel "distant or cut off" depending on their employment status. These and other findings suggested that the genders may manifest PTSD differently. Implications for those in the health care field and the trauma field are provided.