HIV testing practices among Latina women at risk of getting infected

A five-year follow-up of a community sample in South Florida

Bibliographic Data

ID19438679
AuthorsCatalina Lopez-Quintero (0000-0003-3646-4408, Michigan State University), Patria Rojas (0000-0002-4799-9910, Florida International University), Frank R Dillon (0000-0003-2637-8362, Albany State University), Leah M Varga (0000-0002-5234-3369, Florida International University), Mario De La Rosa (0000-0001-6503-6029, Florida International University, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume28
Issue2
Pages137-146
Publication date2016-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAIDS Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0954-0121 • E-ISSN: 1360-0451
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09540121.2015.1071769
PMID26291133
OpenAlexW1915500041
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited43

Latinos are more likely to delay HIV testing, present to care with an AIDS defining illness, and die within one year of learning their HIV-positive status than non-Latino blacks and whites. For this paper, we explore the role of partner-relationship characteristics and health behaviors, in predicting HIV testing among Latina adult women who engaged in risky sexual behaviors (i.e., unprotected vaginal and/or anal sex). Data from a convenience sample of 168 Latina adult women who engaged in risky sexual behavior in the year prior to assessment were analyzed for this paper. Rates and predictors of HIV testing among this sample were assessed after a five-year follow-up. Descriptive and analytical estimates include incidence rates and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) from multilevel models. At five-year follow-up, 63.7% (n = 107) women reported having been tested for HIV, of whom 12.2% (n = 13) were women who never tested before. Main reasons for not having been tested at follow-up included: low risk perception (62.1%) and trusting their partner(s)/being in a monogamous relationship/knowing their partner's HIV status (17.2%). Predictors of HIV testing included: age (AOR: 0.96; 95% CI = 0.92-0.99), provider endorsement of HIV testing (AOR: 4.59; 95% CI = 1.77-11.95), poor quality of their romantic relationships (AOR: 1.12; 95% CI = 1.03-1.26), and knowing the HIV sero-status of sexual partner (AOR: 3.61; 95% CI = 1.46-8.95). This study characterizes a group of Latina women at high risk for HIV infection and their HIV testing behaviors. Our findings underscore the need of increasing access to quality health-care services and HIV behavioral interventions, and to strengthen the adherence to HIV/sexually transmitted disease testing recommendations and guidelines among local health-care providers serving the Latino community in South Florida

Family medicine · Gonorrhea · Odds ratio · Sexual partner · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Demography · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Gerontology · Internal Medicine