Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Due to advancements in HIV treatment, HIV is now considered a chronic condition, in which those who linked to care and adherent will have similar life expectancies to individuals not living with HIV. Despite these advances, some priority populations living with HIV continue to face disproportionate health outcomes and shortened life expectancies. The number of WLHIV in Canada is increasing. Previous research has demonstrated that intimate partner violence (IPV) is a driver of HIV acquisition and poor HIV outcomes among women globally. Few studies have examined the multiple interacting effect of IPV on the overall wellbeing and survival of WLHIV in a setting where HIV treatment is available at no cost. Using data from a longitudinal cohort of people living with HIV in the province of British Columbia, we examined the prevalence and cofactors of multiple forms of IPV (emotional, physical, and sexual). Among 251 WLHIV included in the study, we found 150 (60%) had experienced any lifetime IPV, while 63 (25%) had experienced both physical and sexual IPV in their life. Lifetime experiences of any IPV and both sexual and physical IPV was associated with a history of potentially problematic drinking as well as a diagnosis of depression. Although multivariable models found no association between any IPV or sexual and physical IPV and mortality, the proportion of WLHIV who experienced any IPV and both sexual and physical IPV was higher than WLHIV who did not experience IPV. During the study period a history of a depression diagnosis was associated with shortened survival among WLHIV. This study highlights a potential pathway between IPV, depression and mortality among a highly marginalized cohort of WLHIV. In order to reduce disproportionately high proportion of deaths experienced by WLHIV, future efforts should seek to prevent IPV and ensure trauma and violence aware care is provided for WLHIV.