Eviction, intimate partner violence and HIV: Expanding concepts and assessing the pathways through which sexual partnership dynamics impact health. (July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Groves, Allison K.; Smith, Patrick D.; Gebrekristos, Luwam T.; Keene, Danya E.; Rosenberg, Alana; Blankenship, Kim M.
• Is Part Of: Social science & medicine. Volume 305(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-07
• Subjects: Eviction -- Housing instability -- Intimate partner violence -- HIV prevention -- Sexual risk -- Mediation -- Pathways -- Longitudinal; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Medical anthropology -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine sociale -- Périodiques; Anthropologie médicale -- Périodiques; Santé publique -- Périodiques; Psychologie -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115030
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0277-9536

Abstract

Abstract: Over 2 million renters in the United States are legally evicted annually, and even more renters experience other landlord-related forced moves each year. While past research has documented an association between legal eviction and HIV risk, no studies have examined the relationship between forced moves and sexual partnership dynamics longitudinally, or the pathways through which forced moves impact such risk. Addressing this gap is imperative, particularly given inequities that place Black renters and women at disproportionate risk of eviction. This study leverages data from a longitudinal cohort study of 282 adults in New Haven to examine whether landlord-related forced moves reported at baseline (including, but not limited to, legal eviction) is associated with HIV sexual risk reported six months later. We use bootstrapped path analyses to examine intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and perpetration as potential mediators. One-fifth of participants (21.2%) had experienced a landlord-related forced move at baseline. At follow up, nearly two-thirds (63.8%) reported at least one HIV sexual risk factor, one in seven (14.2%) reported IPV victimization, and one in ten (10.3%) reported IPV perpetration. Individuals who reported landlord-related forced moves were more likely to report IPV victimization (standardized β = 0.19, SE = 0.08, p = .02) and IPV perpetration (β = 0.25, SE = 0.09, p = .003). Both IPV victimization and perpetration mediated the association between landlord-related forced moves and HIV sexual risk (indirect victimization effect, β = 0.09, SE = 0.05, p = .06; indirect perpetration effect, β = 0.16, SE = 0.07, p = .02), though IPV victimization was only marginally significant. In conclusion, IPV is itself a negative consequence of forced moves that also contributes to other negative health effects, like HIV risk. Therefore, providers should offer violence screening and referral for clients who have recently faced a forced move. Simultaneously, policy-level solutions to prevent eviction and increase housing affordability are urgently needed to address the rising burden – and inequitable distribution – of evictions among low-income renters. Highlights: Legal eviction is only one way landlords exert power over tenant housing stability. IPV is a negative consequence of eviction and other landlord-related forced moves. Landlord-related forced moves compromise HIV-related sexual risk via heightened IPV. Violence screening and referrals may benefit those who have faced a forced move. Policies to prevent eviction and increase housing affordability may improve health.