Determinants of prevalent HIV infection and late HIV diagnosis among young women with two or more sexual partners in Beira, Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and determinants of HIV and late diagnosis of HIV in young women in Beira, Mozambique, were estimated in preparation for HIV prevention trials. METHODS: An HIV prevalence survey was conducted between December 2009 and October 2012 among 1,018 women aged 18-35 with two or more sexual partners in the last month. Participants were recruited in places thought by recruitment officers to be frequented by women at higher-risk, such as kiosks, markets, night schools, and bars. Women attended the research center and underwent a face-to-face interview, HIV counseling and testing, pregnancy testing, and blood sample collection. RESULTS: HIV prevalence was 32.6% (95% confidence interval (CI) 29.7%-35.5%). Factors associated with being HIV infected in the multivariable analysis were older age (p<0.001), lower educational level (p<0.001), self-reported genital symptoms in the last 3 months (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.4; CI 1.1-2.0), more than one lifetime HIV test (aOR = 0.4; CI 0.3-0.6), and not knowing whether the primary partner has ever been tested for HIV (aOR = 1.7; CI 1.1-2.5). About a third (32.3%) of participants who tested HIV-positive had a CD4 lymphocyte count of