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Prevalence and Correlates of Knowledge of Male Partner HIV Testing and Serostatus Among African-American Women Living in High Poverty, High HIV Prevalence Communities (HPTN 064)

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Abstract

Knowledge of sexual partners’ HIV infection can reduce risky sexual behaviors. Yet, there are no published studies to-date examining prevalence and characteristics associated with knowledge among African-American women living in high poverty communities disproportionately affected by HIV. Using the HIV Prevention Trial Network’s (HPTN) 064 Study data, multivariable logistic regression was used to examine individual, partner, and partnership-level determinants of women’s knowledge (n = 1,768 women). Results showed that women’s demographic characteristics alone did not account for the variation in serostatus awareness. Rather, lower knowledge of partner serostatus was associated with having two or more sex partners (OR = 0.49, 95 % CI 0.37–0.65), food insecurity (OR = 0.68, 95 % CI 0.49–0.94), partner age >35 years (OR = 0.68, 95 % CI 0.49–0.94), and partner concurrency (OR = 0.63, 95 % CI 0.49–0.83). Access to financial support (OR = 1.42, 95 % CI 1.05–1.92) and coresidence (OR = 1.43, 95 % CI 1.05–1.95) were associated with higher knowledge of partner serostatus. HIV prevention efforts addressing African-American women’s vulnerabilities should employ integrated behavioral, economic, and empowerment approaches.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the study participants, community stakeholders, and staff from each study site. In particular, we acknowledge Lynda Emel, Jonathan Lucas, Nirupama Sista, Kathy Hinson, Elizabeth DiNenno, Ann O’Leary, Lisa Diane White, Waheedah Shabaaz-El, Quarraisha Abdool-Karim, Carlos del Rio, Chris Root, Valarie Hunter, Sten Vermund, Makisha Ruffin, Genda Dockery, Charlene Wylie, Adongo Tia-Okwee, Darrell Wheeler, Peter Winch, Magdalena Nelson, and Sam Griffith. By the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and National Institute of Mental Health (cooperative agreement no. UM1 AI068619, UM 1AI068617, and UM1-AI068613); Centers for Innovative Research to Control AIDS, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University (5U1Al069466); University of North Carolina Clinical Trials Unit (AI069423); University of North Carolina Clinical Trials Research Center of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (RR 025747); University of North Carolina Center for AIDS Research (AI050410); Emory University HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit (5UO1AI069418), Center for AIDS Research (P30 AI050409), and Clinical and Translational Science Award (UL1 RR025008); The Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS Clinical Trials Unit(5 UM1 AI069503-07) and; The Johns Hopkins Adult AIDS Clinical Trial Unit (AI069465) and The Johns Hopkins Clinical and Translational Science Award (UL1 RR 25005). The primary author’s work on this manuscript was supported through the HPTN Scholars Program funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social and Behavioral Interventions Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Room E5038, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Larissa Jennings

  2. Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Anne M. Rompalo

  3. Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research & Prevention (SCHARP), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Jing Wang & James Hughes

  4. Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    James Hughes

  5. Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Adaora A. Adimora

  6. Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA

    Sally Hodder

  7. Prevention Sciences Program, DAIDS, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Lydia E. Soto-Torres

  8. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Paula M. Frew

  9. Family Health International (FHI) 360, Durham, NC, USA

    Danielle F. Haley

  10. Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Danielle F. Haley

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  1. Larissa Jennings
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  2. Anne M. Rompalo
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  3. Jing Wang
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  4. James Hughes
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HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN 064) Women’s HIV SeroIncidence Study (ISIS)

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Correspondence to Larissa Jennings.

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Jennings, L., Rompalo, A.M., Wang, J. et al. Prevalence and Correlates of Knowledge of Male Partner HIV Testing and Serostatus Among African-American Women Living in High Poverty, High HIV Prevalence Communities (HPTN 064). AIDS Behav 19, 291–301 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0884-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0884-y

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