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; 2008; 256–265.

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.

Keywords: Indian, women, HIV risk

Back to List of publications / Home