Method: As part of a culturally tailored HIV risk reduction intervention in Chicago, Illinois, interview data was collected from 657 low-income, sexually active Latinas, aged 18-44. Data collected included: demographics (education completed, ethnicity, marital status, religion, cohabitation status), acculturation status (Hispanic, non-Hispanic), relationship violence in the past 3 months (being hurt by a partner, having forced sex, calling the police), HIV risk factors (multiple partners, risk through partner, % condom use), self-esteem (Rosenberg), depressive symptoms (CES-D). Analysis was done using multiple and logistic regression techniques.

Results: For women in this sample current relationship violence was positively related to having multiple partners (OR = 9.11, p < 0.01, 95% CI: 3.96 to 20.95), HIV risk through partners (OR = 1.99, p < 0.05, 95% CI: 1.01 to 3.93) and depression (b = 8.1, p < 0.001). Current relationship violence was negatively related to self-esteem (b = -2.5, p < 0.001) and not related at all to % condom use.

Conclusions: Low-income Latinas have high HIV infection rates, primarily through heterosexual sex. They also report high levels of violence on the part of their current partners. Relationship violence is associated with primary HIV risk factors and psychological wellbeing and may hinder efforts to reduce their risk factors. HIV interventions for this group of women must address their level of relationship violence if these interventions are to be effective.