Examining Multilevel Factors Associated with the Process of Resilience among Women Living with HIV in a Large Canadian Cohort Study: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

OBJECTIVES: We examined how multiple, nested, and interacting systems impact the protective process of resilience for women living with HIV (WLWH). METHODS: Using data from a Cohort Study, we conducted univariate analyses, multivariable logistic regression, and a 2-step structural equation modeling for the outcome, high resilience (N = 1422). RESULTS: Participants reported high overall resilience scores with a mean of 62.2 (standard deviation = 8.1) and median of 64 (interquartile range = 59-69). The odds of having high resilience were greater for those residing in Quebec compared to Ontario (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.1 [1.6, 2.9]) and British Columbia (aOR = 1.8 [1.3, 2.5]). Transgender women had increased odds of high resilience than cisgender women (aOR = 1.9 [1.0, 3.6]). There were higher odds of resilience for those without mental health diagnoses (aOR = 2.4 [1.9, 3.0]), non-binge drinkers (aOR=1.5 [1.1, 2.1]), and not currently versus previously injecting drugs (aOR = 3.6 [2.1, 5.9]). Structural equation modeling confirmed that factors influencing resilience lie at multiple levels: micro, meso, exo, and macro systems of influence. CONCLUSION: There is a need to consider resilience as the interaction between the person and their environments, informing the development of multilevel interventions to support resilience among WLWH.