Associations between intimate partner violence, violence-related policies, and HIV diagnosis rate among women in the United States

Purpose: To assess the association between state-level intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence and HIV diagnosis rates among women in the United States and investigate the modifying effect of state IPV health care policies. Methods: Data on HIV diagnosis rates were collected from HIV surveillance data from 2010 to 2015, and IPV prevalence data were collected from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey from 2010 to 2012. States were coded for IPV health care policies on training, screening, reporting, and insurance discrimination. Results: States with higher IPV prevalence was associated with higher HIV diagnoses among women (B = 0.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.003, 0.04; P =.02). State policies were a significant effect modifier (B = −0.05; 95% CI = −0.07, −0.02; P <.001). Simple slopes revealed that the association between IPV and HIV diagnosis rates was stronger in states with low IPV protective health care policies (B = 0.09; CI = 0.06, 0.13; P <.001) and moderate IPV protective policies (B = 0.05; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.07, P <.001), but not in states with high IPV protective policies (B = −0.009; 95% CI = −0.04, 0.02; P =.59). Conclusions: HIV prevention programs should target IPV and link to community resources. IPV-related policies in the health care system may protect the sexual health of women experiencing IPV.