Intimate partner violence and HIV treatment in Uganda

Globally, an estimated 3·4 million young people aged 15–24 years are living with HIV, two-thirds of whom reside in sub-Saharan Africa. Uganda, for instance, has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates among young people, with adolescent girls and young women disproportionately affected by the epidemic. For adolescent girls and young women living with HIV, adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is crucial not only for their health, but also for reducing HIV transmission to sexual partners and infants during pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, intimate partner violence poses a substantial barrier to effective HIV management. Adolescent girls and young women experiencing intimate partner violence are 3·2 times more likely to acquire HIV and less likely to initiate or adhere to ART compared with those without experience of intimate partner violence, leading to poorer clinical outcomes and increased mortality rates.

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