Citation

Deaterly C, Richards V, Weaver M, Villalba K, Varma D, Payton I, Cook R. J. Assoc. Nurses AIDS Care 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1097/JNC.0000000000000439

PMID

38417080

Abstract

Suboptimal viral suppression is associated with worse outcomes and increased HIV transmission among women with HIV (WWH). Based on syndemic theory, we hypothesized that women exposed to recent intimate partner violence (IPV) and current drug use would be most likely to have suboptimal HIV viral suppression. We analyzed baseline data from a longitudinal clinical trial (WHAT-IF? Will Having Alcohol Treatment Improve My Functioning?) that enrolled WWH from Miami, FL, who reported heavy drinking. Bivariate logistic regression was done, mean age was 48 years (n = 194; SD: 8.7), 40% had current drug use (other than alcohol), and 14% reported recent IPV. WWH who reported both IPV and drug use had the highest rate of suboptimal viral suppression (45%), but these differences were not statistically significant. The high rates of suboptimal viral suppression, drug use, and IPV suggest a need to include screening for IPV in clinical guidelines related to HIV care in women.

Language: en