Association of violence victimization with inconsistent condom use in HIV-infected persons

The association of violence victimization with current condom use in HIV-infected persons was examined in this cross-sectional study. The HIV - Alcohol Longitudinal Cohort (HIV-ALC) recruited HIV-infected participants with a history of alcohol problems. Interviews assessed violence histories and current sexual behaviors. Of the 349 participants (79% men), 38% reported inconsistent condom use and 80% reported a violence history. Lifetime sexual violence was reported by 40% and lifetime physical violence (without sexual violence) by 40%. Participants reporting lifetime sexual violence had greater odds of inconsistent condom use than participants without any history of violence. A history of childhood sexual violence was also associated with greater odds of inconsistent condom use than participants without a history of childhood sexual violence. A history of sexual violence may in part explain HIV-infected persons' greater risk for transmitting HIV through high-risk sexual behaviors.