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A case-control study of factors associated with HIV infection among black women
Fatu M Forna1, Lisa Fitzpatrick, Adaora A Adimora
1Epidemic Intelligence Service, Office of Workforce and Career Development, Career Development Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-04, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. fforna@cdc.gov
Objective:
To identify social, behavioral and epidemiologic factors associated with HIV infection among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected black women residing in North Carolina.
Design:
A case-control study conducted in August 2004 in North Carolina.
Methods:
Cases were 18-40-year-old women with HIV infections diagnosed from 2003-2004. Controls were 18-40-yearold, HIV-negative heterosexually active women recruited from HIV testing sites. Five focus group discussions were also conducted with women not participating in the case-control study.
Results:
Multivariate analyses of 31 cases and 101 controls showed that HIV-positive women were more likely to receive public assistance [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 7.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1, 26.0], to report a history of genital herpes infection (aOR 10.6; 95% CI 2.4, 47.2), and were less likely to have discussed a variety of sexual and behavioral issues relevant to risk of HIV infection with their male partners (aOR 0.6; 95% CI 0.4, 0.8). Focus group participants indicated that financial and social demands created competing challenges for making HIV prevention a priority.
Conclusions:
Inadequate communication between black women and their sexual partners may create barriers to sexual and behavioral risk reduction. A multidimensional approach that addresses both biological factors such as herpes infection and socioeconomic factors may be needed to reduce HIV transmission in this population.
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