Unsafe sexual practices are common, say US studies
Results suggest that new preventive, educational, and public health strategies are needed to prevent HIV transmission and reduce the risk of a new AIDS epidemic.
More than half (55%) of the men taking part in a survey of sexual behaviour reported having unprotected, insertive anal sex over the previous six months, and 48% had engaged in unprotected, receptive anal sex.
A similar number, 45%, of the men had unprotected oral intercourse. Twenty per cent of the men said they had engaged in all three of these behaviours, and 78% reported having had either unprotected anal or unprotected oral sex.
The survey comprised 4862 gay and bisexual men who had had anal intercourse with one or more men in the previous year (American Journal of Public Health 2003;93:926-32).
Men in the survey reported having had a median of seven male sexual partners over the previous six months, with a quarter reporting 10 or more partners. Most of the unsafe behaviours were among HIV negative partners, but a fifth of the men admitted that they did not know their partner's HIV status.
The study found a high rate of alcohol use and recreational drug use among those engaging in the riskiest behaviours.
A second US study examined the extent to which HIV positive men and women had sex without disclosing their seropositive status.
Researchers interviewed 1421 individuals enrolled in the HIV cost and utilisation services study (HSCUS), with the sample being weighted to be representative of the population of 197063 HIV positive adults receiving medical care across the United States.
Results showed that 42% of gay or bisexual men, 19% of heterosexual men, and 17% of women reported having sex without disclosing their HIV positive status to their sexual partners.
Non-disclosure of HIV status was more common in casual encounters and in non-exclusive partnerships. Unprotected anal or vaginal sex was relatively common among all groups (American Journal of Public Health 2003;93:949-54).
The studies' researchers said it was unclear why those at risk of HIV infection and those already infected with the virus continued to practise unsafe sex.
They suggested, however, that the belief that AIDS was now a manageable chronic disease and inertia in changing sexual habits may contribute to the problem.
Practici sexuale nesigure sunt comune, spun studii de SUA - Unsafe sexual practices are common, say US studies - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate