HIV Risk Characteristics of Young Adult, Adult, and Older Adult Women Who Live in Inner-City Housing Developments: Implications for Prevention

Abstract

Economically disadvantaged urban women are increasingly vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Research has documented increased HIV risk among urban women, but little attention has focused on the relationship between a woman's age and her HIV risk. The present study surveyed 671 women living in 10 inner-city housing developments in five geographically diverse cities throughout the U.S. It sought to identify factors that place young adult (ages 18–25 years), adult (ages 26–39 years), and older adult (ages 40 and older) women at risk of HIV infection, and to differentiate high HIV-risk young adult, adult, and older women from one another. Multivariate analyses disclosed that women's HIV risk behaviors and characteristics that indicate risk varied by age. Young adult women were at increased risk of HIV infection because they had multiple sexual partners and high-risk partners. Adult and older adult women were at risk primarily because they had high-risk sexual partners. High-risk young adult, adult, and older adult women differed from one another with respect to HIV risk behavior knowledge, beliefs about condom barriers, rates of condom use, perceived risk of HIV infection, and seeking HIV tests. These findings suggest that HIV prevention programs for high-risk, disadvantaged, urban women need to consider the different sexual behavior patterns and life circumstances of young adult, adult, and older adult women.