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Black women living with HIV (WLWH) face individual and sociostructural challenges. Despite these challenges, many exemplify remarkable levels of resilience and coping. Yet, research on resilience and coping in this population is limited. Twenty Black WLWH in the Southern United States completed semi-structured interviews that explored challenges facing WLWH. We identified six themes related to resilience and coping: self-acceptance, disclosure, self-compassion, social support, will to live, and service. Of these, social support was a driving protective element and an essential component to building and sustaining resilience and coping. Women who experienced positive support often expressed a will to live as well as a desire to support other WLWH. Resilience and social support were characterized by patterns of reciprocity, in that they were mutually sustaining, stabilizing, and strengthening.

Introduction Elevated blood pressure is a leading contributor to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Some studies suggest there is an association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and subsequent elevated blood pressure in adulthood. The literature specific to ACEs and blood pressure in women has not been synthesized; thus the purpose of this systematic review was to examine what is known about the association between ACEs and blood pressure in women living in the United States. Methods In collaboration with a medical librarian, a systematic search of the literature published between January 1998 and December 2019 was conducted. Original, peer‐reviewed publications were identified from PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases. Studies were excluded if they (1) were conducted outside the United States, (2) measured acute stress or adult stressors, or (3) measured childhood‐ or pregnancy‐related outcomes. Results Of 1740 articles, 12 publications met criteria for inclusion in this study, 8 of which were from cohort studies. Racial and ethnic diversity was limited, with half of the articles in this review consisting of samples that were majority white. Of the studies that used a self‐reported history of hypertension, 60% obtained significant associations with ACEs, compared with only 30% of the studies that had objective blood pressure data. ACEs were associated with lower blood pressure in 3 studies. Discussion More research is needed to elucidate the relationship between ACEs and elevated blood pressure. Inconsistencies in the findings may be related to the measurement of blood pressure, assessment of ACEs, and population characteristics. Future studies should incorporate diverse population‐representative samples with consideration for sex‐ or race‐specific stressors such as pregnancy or racism and their potential influence on blood pressure. Health care providers may consider the history of ACEs as part of screening for cardiovascular risk factors among female patients, especially younger women presenting with elevated blood pressure.

Background Women living with HIV (WLWH) report low engagement in health care, missed office visits, and less engagement in the clinical encounter. Strengthening the clinical encounter for WLWH may improve health outcomes and quality of life. The Adaptive Leadership Framework for Chronic Illness offers specific adaptive leadership strategies for providers to improve patient-provider interactions. The purpose of this study was to examine adaptive leadership behaviors that contribute to the development of effective patient-provider communication from the perspectives of WLWH. Methods The descriptive, cross-sectional and qualitative study conducted interviews with 22 WLWH to assess perceptions of the clinical encounter related to HIV-related stigma, engagement in care, medical distrust, and experiences with discrimination and quality of life. Members of the study team using a set of a priori codes analyzed data using NVivo 12.0. Results Participants described two primary themes and subthemes of each for adaptive leadership behaviors. The primary theme for adaptive leadership of providers was “my provider cares about me”; subthemes were communication, trust building takes time, and supportive providers are trusted. The primary theme for adaptive leadership of WLWH themselves was “I care about me; subthemes were self-advocacy and self-empowerment. Conclusions Providers can use adaptive leadership behaviors during clinical encounters to support WLWH, improve patient-provider communication, enhance trust, and improve patient outcomes.