title: An omitted level: an examination of relational orientations and viral suppression among HIV serodiscordant male couples.
abstract: Couples' adopting a relational orientation, when partners regard themselves as a collective unit, is associated with optimal health. HIV-positive men and their HIV-negative partners (N = 116 serodiscordant male couples) were surveyed. Logistic regression showed greater relational orientations of HIV-positive [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 7.87; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.63 to 38.05] and HIV-negative partners (aOR = 6.16; 95% CI: 1.43 to 26.59) and HIV-positive partners' higher income (aOR = 2.95; 95% CI: 1.13 to 7.70) and lower depression (aOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.97) were associated with viral suppression with no evidence of mediation by adherence. Incorporating relationship dynamics into biomedical strategies is a promising avenue for research and intervention.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Psychology, The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, NY; †Department of Psychology, Hunter College of CUNY, New York, NY; and ‡Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: Kristi E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Gamarel
authors.forename: Torsten B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Neilands
authors.forename: Sarit A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Golub
authors.forename: Mallory O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010349:Patient Compliance; D057566:Self Report; D012747:Sexual Partners