Partner and Relationship Characteristics Determining Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Living with HIV in Ruili, China

Intimate partner violence (IPV) in China is a largely understudied, major health risk among women living with HIV. Using structured face-to-face interviews, this research examined partner and couple relationship characteristics associated with physical and sexual IPV among 219 HIV-positive women living with a male partner in Ruili, China. Twenty-nine women (13%) reported past-year occurrences of physical IPV, and 24 (11%) reported sexual IPV. Physical IPV was more common when the woman's partner was of Jingpo ethnicity, drank weekly, or learned of her HIV status indirectly from a third person. Reduced risk of physical IPV was associated with a woman's perceived confidant support that was available through either her partner or a minimum of 2 non-partner confidants. Sexual IPV was more often reported among women with a partner who drank frequently or was concurrently HIV-positive, or in situations where the woman was employed and the partner was not. Sexual IPV was less likely with a partner of Dai ethnicity than Han, the major ethnicity in China. Identifying determinants of IPV vulnerability among women living with HIV may help future interventions to achieve greater impact in similar settings.

Automated summary

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant health risk for Chinese women living with HIV, but it is often overlooked in research. This study examined the characteristics of partner and couple relationships associated with physical and sexual IPV among HIV-positive women in China. The findings showed that partner's ethnicity, drinking habits, and how they learned about the woman's HIV status were linked to physical IPV, while the availability of support from either the partner or non-partner confidants reduced the risk of physical IPV. Sexual IPV was more likely to occur with partners who drank frequently, were also HIV-positive, or when the woman was employed and the partner was not. It was less likely to occur with partners of Dai ethnicity compared to the Han ethnicity, the majority ethnicity in China.