Poor women and women of color are disproportionately affected by HIV and this is particularly evident in sub-Saharan Africa. Even with increased access to antiretroviral
therapy that makes HIV/
AIDS a chronic manageable condition, little progress has been made to address the issues of
pain caused by HIV disease in women. Women experience
pain differently from men due to biological, psychological, and social factors. Despite a high prevalence of
pain associated with HIV disease,
pain is usually under-diagnosed and poorly treated. HIV-related
pain is usually divided into two categories: nociceptive or neuropathic. Lack of knowledge of health care providers and reluctance to prescribe potent medication or
antidepressants concomitantly to relieve
pain contribute to the inadequate management of
pain. In poor settings, the weak public health infrastructure with its limited human resources and inadequate drug supplies make high-quality palliative and
end-of-life care virtually impossible. As the existing hospital infrastructure is unable to manage the large number of
AIDS-related deaths, community-based palliative and
end-of-life care models are urgently required. Health care providers in the developing world require training on basic pharmacology and effective
analgesic care. An improved ability to assess
pain and a greater understanding of HIV-specific
pain syndromes and their mechanisms will enable health care providers to better alleviate
pain in women. Unless the conditions under which women live are addressed, and attempts made to empower them in their daily lives, their limited ability to access treatment, care and
pain relief will continue to be unacceptable.