title: Testing and testing positive: childhood adversities and later life HIV status among Kenyan women and their partners.
abstract: Adverse childhood experiences are a critical feature of lifelong health. No research assesses whether childhood adversities predict HIV-testing behaviors, and little research analyzes childhood adversities and later life HIV status in sub-Saharan Africa.
  
  
  
  We use regression models with cross-sectional data from a representative sample (n = 1974) to analyze whether adverse childhood experiences, separately or as cumulative exposures, predict reports of later life HIV testing and testing HIV+ among semi-rural Kenyan women and their partners.
  
  
  
  No significant correlation was observed between thirteen cumulative childhood adversities and reporting prior HIV testing for respondent or partner. Separately, childhood sexual abuse and emotional neglect predicted lower odds of reporting having previously been tested for HIV. Witnessing household violence during one's childhood predicted significantly higher odds of reporting HIV+. Sexual abuse predicted higher odds of reporting a partner tested HIV+.
  
  
  
  Preventing sexual abuse and household violence may improve HIV testing and test outcomes among Kenyan women. More research is required to understand pathways between adverse childhood experiences and partner selection within Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa, and data presented here suggest understanding pathways may help improve HIV outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555, USA.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Friendswood, TX77546, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Raimer-Goodman
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, UTHealth, Houston, TX77030, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, UTHealth, Houston, TX77030, USA.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grouls
authors.affiliation: Maua Methodist Hospital, Meru County, Kenya.
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gitari
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555, USA.
authors.forename: Philip H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Keiser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: HIV testing; Kenya; adverse childhood experiences; self-reported HIV; women