Partner violence, partner notification, and women's decisions to have an HIV test.
OBJECTIVE
Reports of partner violence against HIV-positive women after they have disclosed their serostatus have led some to reassess partner notification strategies and to speculate that fear of partner violence following partner notification may influence women's HIV testing decisions. We studied whether associations exist between women's declining to have an HIV test and history of partner violence, fear of partner violence, previous experience with partner notification, or beliefs about partner notification.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, we interviewed women seen at Newark and Miami sexually transmitted disease clinics. The women were at least 18 years old, not known to be HIV positive, not tested for HIV in the previous 3 months, and offered HIV testing during the clinic visit. Women who declined testing were compared with women who accepted.


RESULTS
Of 490 participants (89% of eligible women), 16% reported partner violence in the past year, and 28% declined HIV testing. Declining the test was not significantly (p >.05) associated with history or fear of partner violence, previous experience with partner notification, or beliefs about partner notification. When specifically asked, only 2 women responded that their declining the test was related to fear that their partner or partners might harm them if the women tested positive.


CONCLUSIONS
Among women seen at these clinics, we did not find evidence that declining the HIV test was strongly influenced by partner violence, previous experience with partner notification, or beliefs about partner notification. However, many women reported partner violence. Therefore, providers should assess the potential for partner violence and be prepared to make appropriate referrals.
Maher
J E
JE
Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, Oregon, USA. julie.maher@kpehr.org
Peterson
J
J
Hastings
K
K
Dahlberg
L L
LL
Seals
B
B
Shelley
G
G
Kamb
M L
ML
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016358:Contact Tracing; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013179:Spouse Abuse