Abstract
Background To the individual with concurrent partners, it is thought that having concurrent partnerships confers no greater risk of acquiring HIV than having multiple consecutive partnerships. However, an individual whose partner has concurrent partnerships (partner's concurrency) is at increased risk for incident HIV infection. We sought to better understand relationships characterized by partner's concurrency among African American women. Methods A total of 1013 African American women participated in a cross-sectional survey from 4 rural Southeastern counties. Results Older age at first sex was associated with lower prevalence of partner's concurrency (prevalence ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.87), but the participant's age was not associated with partner's concurrency. After adjusting for covariates, ever having experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and forced sex were most strongly associated with partner's concurrency (prevalence ratios, 1.61 [95% confidence intervals, 1.23-2.11] and 1.65 [1.20-2.26], respectively). Women in mutually monogamous partnerships were the most likely to receive economic support from their partners; women whose partners had concurrent partnerships did not report more economic benefit than did those whose partners were monogamous. Conclusions Associations between history of IPV and forced sex with partner's concurrency suggest that women with these experiences may particularly benefit from interventions to reduce partner's concurrency in addition to support for reducing IPV and other sexual risks. To inform these interventions, further research to understand partnerships characterized by partner's concurrency is warranted.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 498-504 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Sexually Transmitted Diseases |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 22 2015 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Dermatology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Microbiology (medical)
- Infectious Diseases
Cite this
Characteristics of African American women and their partners with perceived concurrent partnerships in 4 rural counties in the Southeastern US. / Ludema, Christina; Doherty, Irene A.; White, Becky L.; Villar-Loubet, Olga; Mclellan-Lemal, Eleanor; O'Daniels, Christine M.; Adimora, Adaora A.
In: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Vol. 42, No. 9, 22.09.2015, p. 498-504.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics of African American women and their partners with perceived concurrent partnerships in 4 rural counties in the Southeastern US
AU - Ludema, Christina
AU - Doherty, Irene A.
AU - White, Becky L.
AU - Villar-Loubet, Olga
AU - Mclellan-Lemal, Eleanor
AU - O'Daniels, Christine M.
AU - Adimora, Adaora A.
PY - 2015/9/22
Y1 - 2015/9/22
N2 - Background To the individual with concurrent partners, it is thought that having concurrent partnerships confers no greater risk of acquiring HIV than having multiple consecutive partnerships. However, an individual whose partner has concurrent partnerships (partner's concurrency) is at increased risk for incident HIV infection. We sought to better understand relationships characterized by partner's concurrency among African American women. Methods A total of 1013 African American women participated in a cross-sectional survey from 4 rural Southeastern counties. Results Older age at first sex was associated with lower prevalence of partner's concurrency (prevalence ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.87), but the participant's age was not associated with partner's concurrency. After adjusting for covariates, ever having experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and forced sex were most strongly associated with partner's concurrency (prevalence ratios, 1.61 [95% confidence intervals, 1.23-2.11] and 1.65 [1.20-2.26], respectively). Women in mutually monogamous partnerships were the most likely to receive economic support from their partners; women whose partners had concurrent partnerships did not report more economic benefit than did those whose partners were monogamous. Conclusions Associations between history of IPV and forced sex with partner's concurrency suggest that women with these experiences may particularly benefit from interventions to reduce partner's concurrency in addition to support for reducing IPV and other sexual risks. To inform these interventions, further research to understand partnerships characterized by partner's concurrency is warranted.
AB - Background To the individual with concurrent partners, it is thought that having concurrent partnerships confers no greater risk of acquiring HIV than having multiple consecutive partnerships. However, an individual whose partner has concurrent partnerships (partner's concurrency) is at increased risk for incident HIV infection. We sought to better understand relationships characterized by partner's concurrency among African American women. Methods A total of 1013 African American women participated in a cross-sectional survey from 4 rural Southeastern counties. Results Older age at first sex was associated with lower prevalence of partner's concurrency (prevalence ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.87), but the participant's age was not associated with partner's concurrency. After adjusting for covariates, ever having experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and forced sex were most strongly associated with partner's concurrency (prevalence ratios, 1.61 [95% confidence intervals, 1.23-2.11] and 1.65 [1.20-2.26], respectively). Women in mutually monogamous partnerships were the most likely to receive economic support from their partners; women whose partners had concurrent partnerships did not report more economic benefit than did those whose partners were monogamous. Conclusions Associations between history of IPV and forced sex with partner's concurrency suggest that women with these experiences may particularly benefit from interventions to reduce partner's concurrency in addition to support for reducing IPV and other sexual risks. To inform these interventions, further research to understand partnerships characterized by partner's concurrency is warranted.
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U2 - 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000325
DO - 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000325
M3 - Article
VL - 42
SP - 498
EP - 504
JO - Sexually Transmitted Diseases
JF - Sexually Transmitted Diseases
SN - 0148-5717
IS - 9
ER -