HIV Risk, Partner Violence, and Relationship Power Among Filipino Young Women: Testing a Structural Model

Abstract

A person's ability to minimize HIV risk is embedded in a complex, multidimensional context. In this study, we tested a model of how relationship power impacts IPV victimization, which in turn impacts HIV risk behaviors. We analyzed data from 474 young adult women (aged 15–31) in Cebu Province, Philippines, using structural equation modeling, and demonstrated good fit for the models. High relationship power is directly associated with increased IPV victimization, and IPV victimization is positively associated with increased HIV risk. We highlight in this article the complex dynamics to consider in HIV risk prevention among these young women.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the staff at the Office of Population Studies at the University of San Carlos, the Philippines, for their valuable assistance. This research was sponsored by the AIDS Research Training HIV/AIDS Health Disparities Center for Mental Health Research on AIDS, at the National Institute of Mental Health (grant # F31MH094766) and by a research award from the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society. The views expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, the U.S. National Institutes of Health, or the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society.