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Self-reported Intimate Partner Violence Before and After Return of Recency Test Results: Findings from the Rwanda HIV
Eugenie Poirot1, Giles Reid2, Suzue Saito2,3
1ICAP at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA. eap2132@cumc.columbia.edu.
AIDS and Behavior
|July 21, 2026
Summary
Returning HIV recency test results to people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Rwanda did not increase intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences. This prospective study found IPV prevalence decreased after HIV diagnosis and remained stable after result disclosure.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- HIV/AIDS Research
Background:
- Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant concern for people living with HIV (PLHIV).
- Understanding the impact of HIV diagnosis and result disclosure on IPV is crucial for targeted interventions.
- HIV recency testing identifies recent infections, which may have different implications for disclosure and potential violence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the incidence and prevalence of IPV experiences among newly diagnosed PLHIV in Rwanda after receiving their HIV recency test results.
- To compare IPV prevalence before and after HIV diagnosis, and before and after the return of recency test results.
- To determine if returning recent (RT) versus long-term (LT) HIV infection results influences IPV experiences.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study involving 932 newly diagnosed PLHIV at 60 health facilities in Rwanda.
- Data collected through interviews at four visits over 6 months, assessing self-reported IPV victimization and perpetration.
- Generalized linear mixed models used to compare IPV prevalence and analyze differences between RT and LT infection groups.
Main Results:
- IPV victimization prevalence was significantly higher before HIV diagnosis (29.8%) compared to after diagnosis (17.6%).
- IPV prevalence did not increase after the return of recency test results at 2 or 6 months post-disclosure.
- No significant differences in IPV victimization or perpetration were observed between recent and long-term infection groups, nor was RT result disclosure associated with increased IPV.
Conclusions:
- Returning HIV recency test results to PLHIV in Rwanda did not lead to an increase in IPV over a 6-month period.
- Despite high baseline IPV, disclosure of HIV status, including recency, did not exacerbate IPV risk in this cohort.
- Continued implementation of IPV mitigation strategies within HIV testing services remains essential.