title: Partner age differences and concurrency in South Africa: Implications for HIV-infection risk among young women.
abstract: Partner-age difference is an HIV-risk factor among young women in Africa, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We used nationally representative data among black South Africans (men: 3,530; women: 3,946) to examine the proportion of women in partnerships involving male partner concurrency by age of female partners and by age-disparate (≥5 years) partnerships. Of all partners reported by men, 35 % of young (16-24) women were in partnerships involving male partner concurrency of 4 weeks or longer during the past 12 months. Young women in age-disparate partnerships were more likely to be in partnerships with men who had other concurrent partners (9 %; OR 1.88 p < 0.01) and more likely to be connected to an older sexual network. Our results suggest that the relationship between male concurrency and age-disparate relationships may increase HIV risk for young women by connecting them to larger and older sexual networks.
authors.affiliation: Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU), University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa, brendan.maughanbrown@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Brendan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maughan-Brown
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kenyon
authors.forename: Mark N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Lurie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044383:Black People; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors