The Contribution of the Neighborhood Context to Young Adults’ HIV Testing Behaviors

Jodi Ford, Ohio State University
Christopher Browning, Ohio State University

The purpose of this research was to examine associations between neighborhood structural factors and young adults’ HIV testing behaviors. Analyses consisted of multilevel logistic regression modeling using secondary data from the 2001-2002 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Findings indicated neighborhood poverty was positively associated with decreased HIV testing uptake in the year prior to the interview and to follow-up of HIV testing results. However, neighborhood poverty increased the likelihood of HIV testing uptake at the time of the interview. Residential instability and segregation of African American residents were positively associated with HIV testing uptake in the year prior to the interview while residential instability was positively associated with follow-up of HIV testing results. These findings suggest young adults living in poor neighborhoods may be less likely to receive HIV testing due to reduced access to resources, stigma and/or poor health literacy.