HIV-positive women report more lifetime partner violence: findings from a voluntary counseling and testing clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
OBJECTIVE
Experiences of partner violence were compared between HIV-positive and HIV-negative women.


METHODS
Of 340 women enrolled, 245 (72%) were followed and interviewed 3 months after HIV testing to estimate the prevalence and identify the correlates of violence.


RESULTS
The odds of reporting at least 1 violent event was significantly higher among HIV-positive women than among HIV-negative women (physical violence odds ratio [OR] = 2.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23, 5.63; sexual violence OR = 2.39; 95% CI = 1.21, 4.73). Odds of reporting partner violence was 10 times higher among younger (< 30 years) HIV-positive women than among younger HIV-negative women (OR = 9.99; 95% CI = 2.67, 37.37).


CONCLUSIONS
Violence is a risk factor for HIV infection that must be addressed through multilevel prevention approaches.
Maman
Suzanne
S
Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. smaman@jhsph.edu
Mbwambo
Jessie K
JK
Hogan
Nora M
NM
Kilonzo
Gad P
GP
Campbell
Jacquelyn C
JC
Weiss
Ellen
E
Sweat
Michael D
MD
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health