title: Identifying the correlates of membership in HIV-serodiscordant partnerships in New York City.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identification and characterization of patients in HIV-serodiscordant partnerships can inform strategies to improve HIV prevention efforts for this group.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a case-control analysis using New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene HIV surveillance and partner services (PS) data from July 2006 to July 2010. HIV-infected index patients reported and interviewed for PS who named 1 or more sex and/or syringe-sharing partner (n = 1309) and their sex partners notified by New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene with confirmed HIV serostatus (n = 1564) were selected for analysis. Index patients were classified into either serodiscordant or seroconcordant-positive partnerships based on the HIV serostatus of their partner(s). Multivariable regression analysis was conducted to examine the likelihood of membership in a serodiscordant partnership by a range of individual- and partnership-level variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1309 index patients, 624 (48%) were in HIV-serodiscordant partnerships. In multivariable analysis, the likelihood of serodiscordant partnership membership was slightly higher among women, individuals with unknown HIV transmission risk, and those with 2 to 3 named partners versus 1. Index patients claimed more partners than they named; for example, index patients who named 1 partner claimed an average of 2.3 partners in the past 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many HIV-infected patients who received PS were in HIV-serodiscordant partnerships, with characteristics indicating potential for HIV transmission. Our findings suggest several potential programmatic and policy needs, including enhanced linkage-to-care efforts for this population, especially HIV-infected individuals with uncontrolled viremia; ongoing PS for individuals with evidence of continuing exposure of others; and participation by patients and their serodiscordant, steady partners in local prevention interventions.
authors.affiliation: From the HIV Epidemiology and Field Services Program, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York City, NY.
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Braunstein
authors.forename: Chi-Chi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Udeagu
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bocour
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Renaud
authors.forename: Colin W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Shepard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D011634:Public Health; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology*