HIV/AIDS and intimate partner violence: intersecting women's health issues in the United States

This article reviews 35 U.S. studies on the intersection of HIV and adult intimate partner violence (IPV). Most studies describe rates of IPV among women at risk or living with HIV/AIDS and identify correlates, using multiple types of convenience samples (e.g., women in methadone treatment, women in shelters or clinics), cross-sectional designs, and self-reported risk behaviors. HIV-positive women appear to experience any IPV at rates comparable to HIV-negative women from the same underlying populations; however, their abuse seems to be more frequent and more severe. The authors found only four relevant interventions and none addressed sexually transmitted HIV and partner violence risk reduction simultaneously. There is a critical need for research on (a) causal pathways and cumulative effects of the syndemic issues of violence, HIV, and substance abuse and (b) interventions that target IPV victims at risk for HIV, as well as HIV-positive women who may be experiencing IPV.