Power and the association with relationship quality in South African couples: Implications for HIV/AIDS interventions

Abstract

Introduction Power imbalances within sexual relationships have significant implications for HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa. Little is known about how power influences the quality of a relationship, which could be an important pathway leading to healthy behavior around HIV/AIDS. Methods This paper uses data from 448 heterosexual couples (896 individuals) in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa who completed baseline surveys from 2012–2014 as part of a couples-based HIV intervention trial. Using an actor-partner interdependence perspective, we assessed: (1) how both partners’ perceptions of power influences their own (i.e., actor effect) and their partner’s reports of relationship quality (i.e., partner effect); and (2) whether these associations differed by gender. We examined three constructs related to power (female power, male equitable gender norms, and shared power) and four domains of relationship quality (intimacy, trust, mutually constructive communication, and conflict). Results For actor effects, shared power was strongly and consistently associated with higher relationship quality across all four domains. The effect of shared power on trust, mutually constructive communication, and conflict were stronger for men than women. The findings for female power and male equitable gender norms were more mixed. Female power was positively associated with women’s reports of trust and mutually constructive communication, but negatively associated with intimacy. Male equitable gender norms were positively associated with men’s reports of mutually constructive communication. For partner effects, male equitable gender norms were positively associated with women’s reports of intimacy and negatively associated with women’s reports of conflict. Conclusions Research and health interventions aiming to improving HIV-related behaviors should consider sources of shared power within couples and potential leverage points for empowerment at the couple level. Efforts solely focused on empowering women should also take the dyadic environment and men’s perspectives into account to ensure positive relationship outcomes.

Method of Communicating in Public Lecture for HIV/AIDS Prevention in The District North Aceh

“…This is consistent with the results of research conducted by Juang .M At All, in Sub-Saharan Africa, which got the results that health education has a positive effect on public awareness about HIV / AIDS and increased knowledge about the modes of transmission and prevention of HIV / AIDS [8]. The study results Amy A. Conroy [10] to increase HIV-related behaviour should consider the resources together in pairs and point maximum potential for empowerment at the level of partner. Efforts to just focus on the empowerment of women.…”

“I Do Not Take My Medicine while Hiding” - A Longitudinal Qualitative Assessment of HIV Discordant Couples’ Beliefs in Discordance and ART as Prevention in Uganda

“…She suggests that efforts should be made to take the dyadic environment into consideration as well as men's perspectives to ensure positive relationship and health outcomes. [37] We found that the ‘couple’ in our setting, was often a polygamous one, and thus, sometimes one couple member would cite a third person as the potential source of infection. Often, a wife would mention that she knew the HIV-status of her co-wife, but in other couples, a participant would simply say she didn’t know the risks her husband was taking when not at home.…”

Confronting Cultural Silencing of Women: Untold Stories of Abuse and HIV Risk in Young Women in Africa and the United States

“…The co‐occurrence of sexual abuse and HIV risk in African women has been attributed to relationship power disparity, as well as cultural norms about discussing sexual issues (Airhihenbuwa & Webster, ; Conjoh, Zhou, & Xiong, ; Conroy et al, ). In the context of an HIV/AIDS epidemic, we need to gain a better understanding of cultural practices influencing African girls and their experience of abuse.…”