biostudies-literatureGaydosh LNICHD NIH HHSNIA NIH HHS2376-86https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3760194biostudies-literatureUnknown17(7)National HIV prevalence estimates across sub-Saharan Africa range from less than 1 percent to over 25 percent. Recent research proposes several explanations for the observed variation, including prevalence of male circumcision, levels of condom use, presence of other sexually transmitted infections, and practice of multiple concurrent partnerships. However, the importance of partnership concurrency for HIV transmission may depend on how it affects coital frequency with each partner. The coital dilution hypothesis suggests that coital frequency within a partnership declines with the addition of concurrent partners. Using sexual behavior data from rural Malawi and urban Kenya, we investigate the relationship between partnership concurrency and coital frequency, and find partial support for the coital dilution hypothesis. We conclude the paper with a discussion of our findings in light of the current literature on concurrency.AIDS and behaviorPartnership concurrency and coital frequency.PMC37601945R24HD047879R03HD071122R01 HD/MH41713R03 HD071122R24 HD047879P30 AG12836R24 HD044964P30 AG012836P2C HD044964R24 HD-044964R01 HD044228Helleringer SGaydosh LReniers GfalsePartnership concurrency and coital frequency.National HIV prevalence estimates across sub-Saharan Africa range from less than 1 percent to over 25 percent. Recent research proposes several explanations for the observed variation, including prevalence of male circumcision, levels of condom use, presence of other sexually transmitted infections, and practice of multiple concurrent partnerships. However, the importance of partnership concurrency for HIV transmission may depend on how it affects coital frequency with each partner. The coital dilution hypothesis suggests that coital frequency within a partnership declines with the addition of concurrent partners. Using sexual behavior data from rural Malawi and urban Kenya, we investigate the relationship between partnership concurrency and coital frequency, and find partial support for the coital dilution hypothesis. We conclude the paper with a discussion of our findings in light of the current literature on concurrency.2013-01-01T00:00:00Z2013 Sep2024-10-17T19:10:15.695Z2019-03-27T01:15:25ZS-EPMC37601942369552310.1007/s10461-013-0525-x