Acceptance of HIV Antibody Testing Among Women in Domestic Violence Shelters

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine which factors derived from an adapted version of the Health Belief Model are associated with HIV testing among women at domestic violence shelters in the rural south (N = 112). Participants were administered self-report questionnaires to assess for test acceptance and were offered private and free HIV rapid testing. A logistic regression analysis was performed. Results indicated that higher perceived susceptibility and higher posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms predicted a greater likelihood of HIV test acceptance. The most common reason given for not testing was a lack of time. Implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• domestic violence
• HIV and IPV
• intimate partner violence
• rapid HIV testing

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by a National Institute of Drug Abuse–Centers for AIDS Research (NIDA-CFAR) training grant (5T32 DA 13911) and the National Institute of Mental Health (1 F31-MH 083538-01A2). The authors would like to thank the following for their contributions: the domestic violence shelters that participated in this study, the staff at the Community Health Project (CHP), Jackson, Mississippi, Leandro A. Mena, M.D., and Ariel Moss Lloyd.

Notes

PTSD: posttraumatic stress disorder.

PTSD: posttraumatic stress disorder.