HIV testing and HIV infection among lesbian, bisexual, and other women who have sex with women in New York City: The Women's Sexuality & Health Study

Background: Lesbian, bisexual, and other women who have sex with women (WSW) are virtually invisible in HIV research and prevention. We explored HIV testing practices and HIV status in a diverse sample of WSW. Methods: We surveyed adults in the New York City area who were born female and had at least one female sexual partner in the previous year. Participants either self-administered a paper survey in a group setting (N=100) or completed a web-based survey (N=141). Results: Four out of every five participants had tested for HIV at least once. Women who had tested were more likely to be non-white, have had five or more lifetime female sex partners and to ever have had sex with a man (there were no differences by age, ethnicity, immigrant status, education, and employment status). Most who had tested (68.3%) said they had not received any safer sex information specifically for WSW at the time of their last test. Among tested women, 6.7% reported positive HIV status. Women who reported being HIV-positive were more likely to be older, be Latina, have a disability, have a lower level of education, be unemployed, identify as bisexual, and have ever experienced forced sex. Conclusions: WSW are accessing HIV testing but may not be receiving counseling that meets their needs. Even if not necessarily infected through sex with female partners, a substantial portion of WSW in our sample were infected or affected by HIV. The reality of HIV among WSW needs greater acknowledgment and attention.