Black Women's Approaches to Encourage Male Partners to Get Tested for HIV: Predictors of Approaches and Partner Tests.

Abstract

New HIV infection rates in Black women are 15 times higher than that of White women, and new infections in women have been primarily associated with heterosexual sex. Encouraging sex partner testing may increase HIV status awareness. Prevention campaigns have not recommended specific approaches with established efficacy for women to encourage partner testing. We examined approaches to encourage HIV testing, interpersonal contexts of relationships, and HIV testing behaviors in 18- to 29-year-old Black women (n = 158). Findings from our quantitative analysis included the following: (a) Partner type (main or nonmain), intimate risk taking, sexual coercion, condom use, and age were related to varied approaches (Active Persuasion, Decisive Collaboration, Ultimatum, and Sweet Talking); (b) the greatest predictor of male partner HIV testing was whether the female partner had been tested for HIV; and (c) Active Persuasion and Decisive Collaboration approaches were associated with partner HIV testing. These findings can inform HIV prevention campaigns.