Examining sexual concurrency and number of partners among African, Caribbean, and Black women using the social ecological model: Results from the ACBY study

HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities in Canada. ACB women are overrepresented in new HIV infections compared with Canada's general population. Sexual concurrent relationships and multiple sex partners are factors that may spread HIV and other sexually transmitted infections more rapidly among this group. The purpose of this study was to understand factors related to sexual concurrency and number of partners among ACB women ages 16-25 living in Canada. Participants were recruited through respondent driven sampling. We surveyed 274 ACB women living in Canada and 153 participants reporting sexual intercourse were retained in analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to determine distribution of sexual concurrency behaviour by variables of interest. Analysis of variance and linear regression were used to examine differences in number of partners by individual, family, and community factors. Approximately 45% of participants were of African origin, 35% were Caribbean and 11% were Black. The majority of participants lived in Canada for ten years or more (68%). Sexual concurrency was not prevalent among ACB women living in Canada ages 16-25, but ethnicity, nativity, interactions with the criminal justice system, and perceived neighborhood quality were associated with number of sex partners. Various individual and structural factors impact sexual risk behaviour. Efforts to reduce HIV/STI risk should consider of factors outside of individual behaviour.