AEGiS-13IAC: History of partner violence is common among women attending a voluntary counseling testing clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

History of partner violence is common among women attending a voluntary counseling testing clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. TuOrC308)

Maman S, Mbwambo J, Hogan M, Kilonzo G, Weiss E
S. Maman, JHU SHPH Dept International Health, 615 North Wolfe Street Room E7141, Baltimore MD, United States, Tel.: +1 4104 315 036, Fax: +1 4104 315 036, E-mail: smaman@jhsph.edu

BACKGROUND: In view of the ever-increasing and overlapping epidemics of HIV and violence against women in sub-Saharan Africa, there is an urgent need for applied research to develop interventions that respond to both problems. To examine the intersections between HIV and violence, a study supported by Fogarty International and the Population Council's Horizons Project, was conducted among female clients of a voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT) clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

METHODS: In phase one, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 women, 17 men, and 15 couples. In phase two, 340 female VCT clients were enrolled immediately after HIV pre-test counseling. 245 of the enrolled clients (72%) returned for a follow-up survey interview 3 months after testing and enrollment. Bivariate and multivariate analysis has been conducted on the survey data to identify predictors of violence.

RESULTS: Physical abuse as an adult was common for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative women. Among HIV-positive women, 54.9% said that they had had at least one physically abusive partner in their lifetime as compared to 32.3% of HIV-negative women (p = .001), and the mean number of physically abusive partners was higher for HIV-positive women than HIV-negative women (.63 vs. .38, p = .008). HIV-positive women were also significantly more likely to report a physically violent episode with their current partner in the last three months (31% vs. 16.2%, p = .019). Furthermore, a report of at least one physically abusive partner during a woman's lifetime was an important independent predictor of HIV status. Women who reported at least one physically abusive partner during their lifetime were 3 times more likely to be HIV-positive than women with no experience with physically abusive partners (p = .006).

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that HIV interventions, including counseling and testing programs, must consider women's experiences with violence to prevent new infections and support women living with HIV/AIDS.

Keywords: AEGIS, Tanzania, Counseling, Violence, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, Ambulatory Care Facilities, Research Design, Aggression, Interviews, Africa South of the Sahara, Human, Female, Male, Adult, history
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