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Annie M. Dude, MA, Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies, University of Chicago, 437 W. St. James, Chicago, IL 60614, (773) 665-9960, anniemd@uchicago.edu

Background: In Kenya, the majority of adults infected with HIV are women. In other settings, women abused by their sexual partners are more likely to report infection with HIV or another STI, report more sexual partners, and are less likely to use condoms with regular and casual partners. In particular, intimate partner violence reduces women's ability to negotiate condom use with her partner. Intimate partner violence, therefore, may represent a significant barrier to behavior change and HIV prevention in Kenya.

Methods: My data come from the 2003 Demographic and Health Survey from Kenya, a nationally-representative survey of women aged 15-49. It includes information on demographic characteristics, domestic violence, sexual behavior, and HIV infection status. I use logistic regression to determine whether past experiences of physical, emotional, and sexual violence are associated with unprotected sex in the past week and a positive HIV test result for 1705 currently and formerly married Kenyan women.

Results: I find that emotional violence is significantly associated with increased likelihood that a woman is infected with HIV (OR=1.62, p=.027)). Emotional and physical violence are both significantly associated with increased likelihood that a woman reports unprotected sex within the last week (OR=1.47,p=.003; OR =1.35, p=.007). Even when controlling for pregnancy-seeking behavior, these significant positive associations between violence and unprotected sex persist.

Conclusions: Intimate partner violence is associated with increased likelihood that a woman reports unprotected sex in the past week, as well as increased likelihood of HIV infection. Intimate partner violence needs to be addressed in order to make HIV prevention programs that promote condom use effective.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant will be able to

• Identify how three different aspects of intimate partner violence are associated with increased HIV risk in Kenya.
• recognize how intimate partner violence can be a barrier to behavior change in HIV prevention programs.

Keywords: Domestic Violence, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered