title: Intimate partner violence in women living with HIV attending an inner city clinic in the UK: prevalence and associated factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies have shown high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) in women living with HIV, but data from the UK are lacking. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of IPV and identify associated factors in women attending our inner London HIV clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study of women attending our HIV clinic in May to December 2011. Participants completed a standardized questionnaire and exposure to IPV was ascertained using a validated tool. Clinical data were collected from patient records. Logistic regression models were fitted to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  This analysis was based on 191 women with available data on IPV. The median age of women was 38 years (range 21-71 years); 74.1% were African-born Black. Over half (99 of 191; 52%) reported experiencing IPV in their lifetime, with 27 of 191 (14.1%) reporting IPV within the past year and 27 of 191 (14.1%) reporting it in pregnancy. Lifetime experience of IPV was associated with mental health problems [AOR 3.44; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24-9.57; P < 0.05] and 'other' Black (born outside sub-Saharan Africa) ethnicity (AOR 4.63; 95% CI 1.06-20.11; P < 0.05). We also found an association between older age and decreased likelihood of lifetime IPV (AOR 0.92; 95% CI 0.86-0.97; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Over half of the women in this study reported lifetime experience of IPV. We found associations between IPV and mental health problems, younger age and other Black ethnicity. In view of its high prevalence, we advocate greater awareness of IPV among HIV healthcare professionals and recommend universal screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sexual Health, Homerton University Hospital, London, UK. rdhairyawan@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dhairyawan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tariq
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scourse
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Coyne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016387:Women's Health