Impact of Physical Violence by an Intimate Partner and Perceived or Experienced Stigma and Discrimination on HIV Viral Load Status: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS)

Abstract

Worldwide, almost a third of all women who have been in a relationship with a partner or spouse - regardless of gender or sexual intimacy status - have experienced violence by an intimate partner, and among HIV-positive women in the United States, 55% have experienced or are currently experiencing violence by an intimate partner. Women who experience violence have been found to report lower adherence to HIV medication and lower rates of viral suppression. Despite this, little research has been conducted to determine potential barriers to care among this population. This study examined the impact of violence by an intimate partner and stigma and discrimination on HIV viral load status among women in the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS). Logistic regression analysis using basic sociodemographic data, HIV viral load status, history of physical violence by an intimate partner, and the mean scores of the stigma and discrimination questionnaire domains determined that women who experience physical violence by an intimate partner were more likely to report experiences of stigma and discrimination in the healthcare system and were more likely to have detectable viral load levels.