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Investigating Partner Abuse Among HIV-Positive Men Who have Sex with Men

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Abstract

High rates of partner abuse (PA) of all types—physical, sexual, and psychological—have been identified in studies of HIV-positive individuals. We examined both the prevalence and correlates of same-sex PA in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Participants recruited from public outpatient HIV clinics (N = 168) completed CASI surveys about PA and current physical and mental health. Electronic medical record data were obtained for HIV biomarkers. Results indicate high rates of past year PA (physical, 19%; sexual, 17%; psychological, 51%; any, 54%), with rates comparable to, or higher than, those reported in recent studies of HIV-positive women and older studies of HIV-positive MSM. Overall, participants endorsing past year PA reported poorer mental but not physical health. Participants who endorsed past year physical PA, specifically, reported the largest number of mental health problems. HIV care providers should routinely assess PA, especially physical PA, in all MSM patients.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a National Institute of Mental Health award (F31 MH71179) and a small grant from the Robert C. Bolles Research Fund of the University of Washington, both awarded to the first author. The authors wish to express sincere gratitude to Jessica Colon, the project’s research assistants at the University of Washington, and the staff and patients of the cooperating clinics. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2009.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Suffolk University, 41 Temple Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    David W. Pantalone & Sarah E. Valentine

  2. Health Services Division, John Snow, Inc., Boston, MA, USA

    Karen L. Schneider

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Jane M. Simoni

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  1. David W. Pantalone
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  2. Karen L. Schneider
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  3. Sarah E. Valentine
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  4. Jane M. Simoni
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Correspondence to David W. Pantalone.

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Pantalone, D.W., Schneider, K.L., Valentine, S.E. et al. Investigating Partner Abuse Among HIV-Positive Men Who have Sex with Men. AIDS Behav 16, 1031–1043 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-011-0011-2

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