Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and HIV Risk Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study of Women In Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe

The levels of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa remain the highest in the world despite declining global HIV incidence rates. Sub-Saharan African women are almost three times more likely to be infected with HIV than men; however, we know very little about the factors associated with HIV transmission among women. Previous research in the United States suggests that trauma history and trauma symptoms are associated with HIV risk behavior. What little research has been conducted in Africa suggests that trauma and psychological distress are also associated with HIV risk behavior, although no studies have been conducted among women living in Zimbabwe, Africa. Therefore, this study sought to examine trauma and abuse, psychological distress, and HIV risk behavior in a cross-sectional assessment of 200 women attending antenatal clinics in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. 37% of the women screened positive for PTSD. Scores on the PTSD screening tool were found to be correlated with greater abuse severity, being HIV positive, sexual risk taking, and a greater number of partners in the past year. 49% of the women also report having ever been abused, with 30% being afraid of their partner. Abuse severity was significantly associated with PTSD and with the number of sexual partners in the past year. In addition, abuse was associated with HIV risk behavior regardless of the PTSD status of the women in this particular sample. Future research is needed to determine which factors that mediate this relationship are also amenable to treatment and intervention among women in Zimbabwe.