Correlates of relationship, psychological, and sexual behavioral factors for HIV risk among Indian women
Gupta, R.N.; Wyatt, G.E.; Swaminathan, S.; Rewari, B.B.; Locke, T.F.; Ranganath, V.; Sumner, L.A.; Liu, H.
Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology 14(3): 256-265
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 1099-9809 PMID: 18624590 DOI: 10.1037/1099-9809.14.3.256Document Number: 202506
The rate of HIV/AIDS among women in India is expected to rise yet few studies have examined factors related to HIV risk among Indian women. The objective of this prospective, cross-sectional study was to characterize similarities and differences in the relationships, psychological well-being, and sexual behaviors among Indian women (N=459). Both HIV positive (N=216) and negative (N=243) women from urban and rural areas in India were included in this study. Chi-square, analysis of variance, and logistic regression analyses revealed that in both geographic groups, HIV-positive women were significantly more likely to report marital dissatisfaction, a history of forced sex, domestic violence, depressive symptoms and husband's extra marital sex when compared to the HIV-negative women. Findings also indicate that specific factors related to the quality of the marital relationship such as domestic violence, martial dysfunction, and depressive symptoms may be related to HIV-related risks for women. Implications for future research and culturally relevant interventions are discussed.