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Recently formed age-disparate partnerships are associated with elevated HIV-incidence among young women in South Africa.


ABSTRACT:

Objective

Cross-sectional and cohort studies draw different conclusions on whether age-disparate partnerships increase HIV-acquisition risk for young women. We investigated whether age-disparities were associated with HIV-infection risk early in relationships. This could result in the exclusion of women who seroconverted during high-risk age-disparate partnerships from cohort studies of HIV incidence - which exclude HIV-positive women - and explain null findings in these studies.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Methods

We used data on 15-24-year-old, HIV-negative women in heterosexual partnerships (N?=?830) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The association between age-disparate partnering (i.e., male partner ?5 years older) and subsequent HIV seroconversion was assessed using Cox hazard models. We examined heterogeneity in HIV-acquisition risk by duration of partnership (defined by quartiles) at cohort enrolment.

Results

During 1139 person-years (mean: 1.4 years) of follow-up, 54 (6.5%) women seroconverted, a weighted HIV-incidence estimate of 4.41/100 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.30-6.06]. HIV-acquisition risk did not differ significantly between women in age-disparate vs. age-similar partnerships (adjusted hazard ratios: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.55-2.21). However, for women in the shortest partnership quartile (<1.09 years) at baseline, risk of HIV seroconversion was higher for women in age-disparate partnerships (adjusted hazard ratios: 3.13, 95% CI: 1.02-9.65, P?=?0.047). HIV acquisition was not statistically different by partnership type among women in longer partnerships.

Conclusion

The association between age-disparate partnerships and HIV-acquisition risk is evident early in young women's relationships. Results provide a potential explanation for null findings in cohort studies, whose research designs may exclude women in such partnerships, and affirms the elevated risk of HIV acquisition for young women in age-disparate relationships.

SUBMITTER: Maughan-Brown B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7473385 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Recently formed age-disparate partnerships are associated with elevated HIV-incidence among young women in South Africa.

Maughan-Brown Brendan B   Venkataramani Atheendar A   Kharsany Ayesha B M ABM   Beckett Sean S   Govender Kaymarlin K   Lewis Lara L   Cawood Cherie C   Khanyile David D   George Gavin G  

AIDS (London, England) 20200101 1


<h4>Objective</h4>Cross-sectional and cohort studies draw different conclusions on whether age-disparate partnerships increase HIV-acquisition risk for young women. We investigated whether age-disparities were associated with HIV-infection risk early in relationships. This could result in the exclusion of women who seroconverted during high-risk age-disparate partnerships from cohort studies of HIV incidence - which exclude HIV-positive women - and explain null findings in these studies.<h4>Desi  ...[more]

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