PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Multiple Partners”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 577 records · Page 32Linked to original sources

Sexual activity among adolescents in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

With the aid of a self-administered questionnaire, sexual activity was investigated among 1,200 students aged 10-19 years. Two hundred and sixty-four (23.7%) respondents indicated they were sexually active. The mean age at first intercourse was 11.3 years (SD=5.8 years), while the average number of sex partner was 2-3. Multiple sexual partners were found in 99 (69.2%) of the males and in 16 (32.7%) of the females (P < 0.05). Males were more sexually active, 189 (32.8%) compared with 73 (13.7%) females (P=0.000001; RR=2.4 (1.88-3.05). Two hundred and fifty-three (23.4%) ofthose respondents who claimed to be highly religious had sexual intercourse compared with 7 (50%) of those who claimed not to be religious (P=0.02; PR=0.47 (0.27-0.80). Those whose parents lived together were less likely to be sexually active. 184 (21.2%) versus 47 (34.8%) (P=0.005). It is therefore concluded that our adolescents especially males remain sexually active. It also demonstrates the dramatic lowering of age at first intercourse. Family supervision and level of religious activity were recognized as factors that have significant impact on sexual activity. Preventive efforts must therefore focus on these issues with the active involvement of the Pediatrician, parents and religious leaders.

Adolescent↗

Methods to reduce social desirability bias in sex surveys in low-development settings: experience in Zimbabwe.

BACKGROUND: Social desirability bias hampers measurement of risk behavior for acquiring STDs and evaluation of control interventions. More confidential data collection methods reduce this bias in Western countries but generally require technology not available in less developed settings. GOAL The goal of this report was to describe and evaluate an informal, confidential, low-technology method-Informal Confidential Voting Interviews (ICVIs)-for collecting sexual behavior data in less developed settings. STUDY DESIGN: Reports of multiple sex partners by sexually active, basic-literate, population-based survey participants in rural Zimbabwe randomly assigned to ICVIs and face-to-face interviews (FTFIs) were compared. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent of respondents (n = 7,823) were sufficiently literate for ICVIs. Error rates were low but higher than in FTFIs. More male and female ICVI respondents interviewed reported multiple current sex partners (OR = 1.33 and 5.24, respectively) and multiple partners in the past month (OR = 1.71 and 2.92) and the past year (OR = 1.35 and 1.97). CONCLUSION: The ICVI method appears to reduce bias but requires further evaluation to assess viability and effect in alternative settings.

Adolescent↗

The influence of psychosocial factors, alcohol, drug use on African-American women's high-risk sexual behavior.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examines psychosocial and behavioral influences, particularly drug and alcohol use, as correlates of inconsistent condom use and having multiple sexual partners during the past months among African-American women. METHODS: The cross-sectional study, conducted between May and June 1996, recruited a convenience sample of 180 African-American women in Birmingham, Alabama. Women completed a face-to-face interview that assessed alcohol and drug use, sexual behaviors, depression, condom use, and negotiation skills. RESULTS: The majority of women, 51.6% (n = 93), had used either alcohol or drugs during the previous month. Many women, 31.1%, consumed alcohol, 18.3% used marijuana, and 8.3% had smoked crack within the past month. Nearly 42.7% of women used condoms inconsistently in the past month and 13.3% of women had multiple sexual partners within the past month. A logistic regression model predicting inconsistent condom use indicated that women were less likely to use condoms if they consumed alcohol between 20 and 30 days of the month (OR = 2.8, 90% CI = 1.3-5.9) and if they had not negotiated condom use (OR = 32.4, 90% CI = 7.9-131.6). The logistic regression model predicting multiple sexual partners indicated that women were more likely to have multiple sexual partners if they had smoked crack in the past month (OR = 5.3, 90% CI = 1.6-18.2). CONCLUSION: HIV sexual risk-reduction interventions for African-American women need to address the overlapping epidemics of drugs, alcohol, and STDs. Additionally, HIV sexual risk reduction efforts should be incorporated into existing drug and alcohol treatment programs and STD clinics.

Adult↗

Risk of HIV transmission within marriage in rural China: implications for HIV prevention at the family level.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about HIV transmission at the family level in China. GOAL: : We examined the risks for HIV transmission between husbands and wives and from parents to children in a rural area where HIV spread among former commercial blood donors. STUDY: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 605 (302 couples) marriage license applicants. RESULTS: More males (64.6%) than females (52.1%) reported having had premarital sex and multiple sex partners (12.6% and 6.9%, respectively). Among those having had multiple sex partners, 8.5% reported often or always using condoms. Only 36.8% of the couples agreed that they would not plan to have a baby after knowing the status of HIV infection. Approximately 43% of the couples agreed that they would use condoms consistently if 1 of them were HIV-positive. CONCLUSIONS: There is an urgent need for national programs to prevent HIV infection within couples in rural areas.

Adolescent↗

Longitudinal sexual behavior changes in injecting drug users.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether injection drug users (IDU) maintained sexual behavior risk reduction over an 18-month period that had been noted previously over a 4-month period. DESIGN: A repeated measures design was utilized with IDU assessed initially at study enrollment and again 18 months later. METHODS: Sexual behaviors of a group of 220 IDU (148 men and 72 women) were assessed by a structured interview at the start of an AIDS prevention project and again 18 months later. RESULTS: Having multiple sex partners during the 12 months before initial assessment was reported by 42.6% of the men and 35.7% of the women. Significantly fewer had multiple sex partners during the 10 months before follow-up assessment (men, 20.9%; women, 14.3%). Condom use for vaginal intercourse increased from a mean of 11.9% initially to 27.8% at follow-up for men. The increase in condom use was greater for those with multiple sex partners. Women did not report significant increases in condom use. Continued involvement in unsafe sexual behaviors was associated with exchanging sex for money or drugs, using drugs to help meet sexual needs, alcohol use and drug use. CONCLUSIONS: Risk reductions noted previously were maintained over 18 months for the majority of the sample. Drug-use treatment and interventions that closely examine the interplay between drug use and sexuality for individual IDU are recommended as strategies to further reduce the sexual risk of HIV transmission among IDU.

Adult↗

The influence of gender on factors associated with HIV transmission risk among young Russian injection drug users.

HIV infection rates are dramatically increasing in the Russian Federation. Epidemiological studies indicate that the greatest rise of HIV incidence has been among injection drug users (IDU). Young adults (N = 188) who reported injecting drug use completed surveys and interviews that assessed injection drug use behavior, sexual behavior, and HIV-related knowledge. The average age of participants was 21.3 years. Multiple linear regression analysis found male gender and younger age at sexual debut was positively and significantly associated with having multiple sexual partners. Gender moderated the effects of sexual debut and number of times injected drugs were used in the past month. Males who initiate sex at a younger age were more likely to report multiple sex partners and females who reported higher frequency of drug use were more likely to report multiple sex partners. Gender is an important factor, as well as moderator of risk behavior among Russian injection drug users. Delaying sexual debut, particularly for males, may be an effective strategy to reduce subsequent risk behavior. Prevention efforts among IDUs need to address sexual risk behavior in conjunction with injection risk behavior.

Adolescent↗

Brief behavioural skills building intervention for female controlled methods of STD-HIV prevention: outcomes of a randomized clinical field trial.

The need for female controlled methods for preventing HIV infection is well recognized and women have been found to accept the female condom for these purposes. Women (n = 105) were randomly assigned to receive either (a) a 3-h behavioural skills building intervention that concentrated on educating women about the female condom, motivating female condom use, and building behavioural skills relevant to using the female condom, or (b) a time-matched broadly defined women's health education intervention. Women who received the female controlled skills building intervention used the female condom to a greater extent than did women in the health education condition. Importantly, the effects of the behavioural skills intervention were most pronounced for women who reported only one male sex partner in the previous 6 months compared to women with multiple sex partners. However, female condom use was modest, with only one in 5 vaginal intercourse acts being protected by female condoms among women with one partner who received skills training. Interventions are needed to further enhance use of the female condom and new female controlled methods are needed for the majority of women at risk who did not adopt the female condom.

Adult↗

Sexually transmitted disease symptoms. A comparative analysis of male and female youth in Jamaica.

Data from Reproductive Health Survey 1997 were used to examine symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and sex behaviour of adolescents and young adults in Jamaica. Overall, nine per cent of the sample reported symptoms of STD in the year prior to the survey. Rates of high-risk sexual behaviours were high with one-fifth of the sample reporting multiple sex partners in the last three months. Slightly more than half reported condom use at last coitus. Logistical regression analyses indicated that being older, having multiple sex partners, using condoms inconsistently with steady partners, and having cultural attitudes conducive to high-risk sexual activity were all associated with having symptoms of STD. These findings indicate that certain sub-populations are more likely to have symptoms of STD. STD prevention programmes should recognize the various risk groups at increased risk of STD and, ultimately, HIV. Interventions should be targeted to those who continue to have unprotected sex with multiple sex partners. In addition, cultural factors should be considered in the development of such prevention programmes.

Adolescent↗

Considering HIV risk and intimate partner violence among older women of color: a descriptive analysis.

This study describes the types of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual HIV-risk factors reported by a sample of 139 African American and Latina women ages 50 and older receiving care in outpatient clinics of an urban medical center. Additionally, we obtained estimates of the associations between experiencing IPV in a primary heterosexual relationship and the following HIV-risk behaviors among our sample of older minority women: (a) having multiple sexual partners, (b) STD history, (c) partner-related risk (i.e., having a partner who has multiple sexual partners, is HIV-infected, injecting drugs, and/or has an STD), and (d) self-perception of risk for HIV infection. Results indicate that many of these women are engaged in sexual risk behaviors, and such behaviors are associated with increased likelihood of IPV for this cohort. Implications for health care professionals are discussed.

Academic Medical Centers↗

Factors associated with HIV testing: results from an Italian General Population Survey.

BACKGROUND: HIV testing, with appropriate counseling, can help prevent the spread of HIV infection. This study is the first national survey in Italy that examines factors associated with serotesting among Italian heterosexuals and is part of a European Concerted Action. METHODS: In 1998, a cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted on a random sample (n = 2,603) of the Italian population ages 18-49 years. Associations between HIV testing and risky sexual behaviors (multiple sexual partners in the past 5 years, intercourse with prostitutes, not always using condoms with a new sexual partner) and sociodemographic variables are examined separately for men and women using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of having ever been tested for HIV, whether voluntarily or not, among heterosexual men and women is 27.0 and 32.8%, respectively. Voluntary testing is reported by 8.4% of heterosexual men and 6.1% of heterosexual women. Multivariate analysis shows that having multiple sexual partners significantly increases the odds of testing (Men: OR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.3-3.4. Women: OR = 3.03; 95% CI: 1.7-5.4). Multiple logistic regression, controlling for risky behavior, shows also that persons ages 30-39 years have significantly higher probability of being tested than younger subjects (Men: OR = 3.30; 95% CI: 1.4-7.9. Women: OR = 2.61; 95% CI:1.1-6.4). Better educated women tend to have a higher probability of testing, but this increase is not significant at the 5% level. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of voluntary serotesting in Italy is lower than in other countries. Risky sexual behavior is associated with higher odds of testing; however, a high proportion of at-risk heterosexuals never sought testing. Particular attention should be dedicated to younger persons and to less educated women.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

Presenting the female condom to men: a dyadic analysis of effect of the woman's approach.

Although male partner resistance to female condom use has been reported, little is understood about circumstances under which partners will agree to female condom use. This study documents the experiences of couples who have worked together to achieve female condom use. As part of a prospective female condom efficacy study, female participants (age 18-34) received a behavioral intervention and an assortment of take-home items. Selected women and their partners were recruited for a qualitative interview focusing on their experience with the female condom. Interviews were transcribed, double-coded, and verified using a standard retrieval coding system. Twenty-six pairs of linked interviews were analyzed dyadically: 9 couples who used the female condom "consistently," 12 "experimenters," and 5 "non-users." Women who successfully promoted the female condom to their partners used multiple presentation strategies. Initial male partner reaction did not predict continued use beyond the first trial. In conclusion, employment of multiple strategies facilitates successful introduction of the female condom into a sexual partnership.

Adolescent↗

Determinants of smoking behaviour in random samples of Greenlandic and Danish women 20-39 years of age.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of smoking among young women is of particular concern in most countries as it does not decline as in men. We studied smoking behaviour in Greenlandic and Danish women over a 2 year period to provide information on the social and behavioural determinants of smoking in women. METHODS: In 1986, samples of 800 women aged 20-39 years were drawn at random from Nuuk/Godthåb (Greenland) and Nykøbing Falster (Denmark). A total of 586 and 661 women were interviewed in Greenland and Denmark, respectively. In 1988, new random samples of 150 women were drawn from the same areas. Totally, 129 Greenlandic and 126 Danish women were included in this study. In 1987, a sample of 732 women aged 20-49 years from Copenhagen was randomly drawn from the computerized Central Population Register. Of these, 623 women completed a questionnaire. RESULTS: Smoking behaviour was almost the same among women in Nykøbing Falster and Copenhagen (54% smoked) while a significantly higher percentage of smokers was observed among women in Greenland (88% smoked). Heavy smoking was most prevalent among Danish women and associated with early debut of smoking. Among Danish women, smoking was associated with use of oral contraceptives, early age at first intercourse, and multiple sexual partners. In Greenland, smoking was associated with early sexual debut and multiple sexual partners. In an extended analysis on a subgroup of Danish women, smoking was also associated with low education and infrequent intake of vegetables. The study showed no development in smoking behaviour in any age group over the two year period between the two studies, neither in Nykøbing Falster nor in Nuuk. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of moderate smoking among women in Greenland suggests that broad anti-smoking initiatives are urgently needed. The high prevalence of heavy smoking and a social gradient among Danish women may indicate that a strategy focusing on restrictions of smoking may be more relevant than merely continuing a pure anti-smoking information strategy.

Adult↗

Co-risk factors for HPV infection in Northeastern Thai women with cervical carcinoma.

HPV infection is the main cause of cervical cancer; however, factors that promote and maintain HPV infection are still unclear. This study was designed to search for factors responsible for the HPV infection in Northeastern Thai women. A total of 190 volunteers with a normal histopathologic appearance of cervix as controls (n=100) and with squamous cell cervical carcinoma (SCCA) (n=90) were the subjects. Variables of risk factors including sexual behaviors, history of reproduction, history of sexually transmitted diseases and smoking were conducted with self-report and direct interview. Number of sexual partners and smoking history increased the likelihood of high-risk HPV infection. Multiple sexual partners showed significantly higher 3.94-fold risk for HPV infection (95% CI = 1.82-8.82, p-value<0.001). Smoking history of partner increased the risk for HPV infection 3.03-fold (95%CI=1.42-6.58, p-value< 0.002). After OR were adjusted, significant difference was still observed in the number of sexual partners (p-value <0.0001) and smoking history of the partner (p-value<0.005). To decrease the incidence of cervical cancer, we should prevent HPV dissemination and be on the alert for having multiple sexual partners and a partner's smoking habit, which must be included in our public health planning.

Adolescent↗

Predictors of condom use and human immunodeficiency virus test seeking among women living in inner-city public housing developments.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To examine prevalence and predictors of condom use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test seeking among women living in inner-city housing developments. STUDY DESIGN: Between April and June 1994, 671 women living in low-income housing developments in five cities in the United States completed an anonymous self-report questionnaire eliciting information on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) risk behavior and characteristics indicative of risk. RESULTS: Most participants were women of color who were economically disadvantaged. Fifteen percent reported multiple sex partners, and 30% of women with one sex partner believed he had sex with someone else in the past year. Predictors of condom use included increased rates of safe-sex negotiation, stronger risk reduction intentions, absence of condom barrier beliefs, and multiple sex partners. Women tested for HIV in the past year were younger, perceived themselves to be at risk for HIV infection, reported more conversations with other women about AIDS concerns, and had condoms readily available. CONCLUSIONS: HIV public health prevention interventions are urgently needed for women who live in low-income urban housing developments.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

Seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus in women admitted to the hospital with pelvic inflammatory disease.

To assess the association of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with other sexually transmitted diseases we undertook an anonymous HIV antibody serosurvey of all women admitted to the hospital with pelvic inflammatory disease. All the patients were given HIV risk reduction information and offered voluntary antibody testing. Thirty-one consecutive patients were evaluated; 30 specimens were suitable for anonymous testing. Five of the 30 (16.7%) were seropositive on both an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot test. The majority of the patients expressed concern about their HIV risk; 23 (74%) requested confidential testing. Of those tested, five (21.7%) were seropositive; three had traditional risk factors (intravenous drug abuse and/or sexual contacts at risk), and two denied traditional risk factors but reported nonintravenous cocaine use and multiple sexual partners. Of the seronegative women, 33% reported nonintravenous cocaine use (many with multiple sexual partners). Preventing the heterosexual spread of HIV into this vulnerable population is a formidable public health challenge.

Adult↗

Interactions of HIV-1 proteins gp120 and Nef with cellular partners define a novel allosteric paradigm.

During the course of infection, a subset of HIV-1 proteins interacts with multiple cellular partners, sometimes in a hierarchical or sequential way. These proteins include those associated with the initial infection event, with the preparation of the cell for the replicative cycle of the virus and with the exit of new virions from the infected cell. It appears that the interactions of viral proteins with multiple cellular partners are mediated by the occurrence of ligand-induced conformational changes that direct the binding of these proteins to subsequent partners. Two of the most studied HIV-1 proteins that are known to interact with different cellular partners are gp120 and Nef. Here we discuss the interactions of these two proteins with their cellular partners and present new results indicating that the conformational changes undergone by these proteins define a novel allosteric paradigm. In the traditional view, conformational changes are thought to occur between well defined structural conformations of a protein. In gp120 and Nef, those changes involve conformations characterized by the presence of large regions devoid of stable secondary or tertiary structure. Those unstructured regions contain the binding determinants for subsequent partners and only become functionally competent by ligand-induced structuring or un-structuring of those regions. By switching binding epitopes between structured and unstructured conformations the binding affinity can be modulated by several orders of magnitude, thus effectively precluding binding against unwanted partners. A better understanding of these interactions would lead to improved strategies for inhibitor design against these viral targets.

Allosteric Regulation↗

Sex in Australia: heterosexual experience and recent heterosexual encounters among a representative sample of adults.

OBJECTIVE: To describe numbers of opposite-sex partners, experiences of different heterosexual behaviours, and recent heterosexual experiences among a representative sample of Australian adults. METHODS: Computer-assisted telephone interviews were completed by a representative sample of 10,173 men and 9,134 women aged 16-59 years from all States and Territories. The response rate was 73.1% (69.4% among men and 77.6% among women). RESULTS: Men reported more sexual partners than women over their lifetime, in the past five years and in the past year. 15.1% of men and 8.5% of women reported multiple sexual partners in the past year. Reporting multiple opposite-sex partners was significantly associated with being younger, identifying as bisexual, living in major cities, having a lower income, having a blue-collar occupation, and not being married. All but a handful of respondents' most recent heterosexual encounters involved vaginal intercourse and condoms were used in one-fifth of these sexual encounters. Anal intercourse was very uncommon during respondents' most recent heterosexual encounters. CONCLUSION: Patterns of heterosexual experience in Australia are similar to those found in studies of representative samples in other countries. IMPLICATIONS: There may be a need for interventions targeted at people with multiple sexual partners to promote safer sexual behaviour and to reduce the likelihood of transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Adolescent↗

Relationship between cigarette smoking and health risk and problem behaviors among US adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether sociodemographic factors and health risk and problem behaviors explain the prevalence of cigarette smoking among US adolescents. DESIGN: Probability survey. PARTICIPANTS: A nationally representative sample of US adolescents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weighted prevalence, adjusted odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for current smoking status by health risk and problem behaviors. RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking was highest among adolescents who were white, older, and who had a high school education or lived in the Northeast. When we adjusted for sociodemographic factors and health risk and problem behaviors, smoking was associated with marijuana use (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 2.7-5.1), binge drinking (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.6-2.8), and fighting (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.7) among white adolescent males. Similar associations between each of these 3 behaviors and cigarette smoking were found among white adolescent females and African American and Hispanic adolescent males and females. Cigarette smoking was also associated with using smokeless tobacco, having multiple sexual partners, and not using bicycle helmets among white adolescent males and females, having multiple sexual partners among Hispanic adolescent females, and carrying weapons among Hispanic adolescent males. CONCLUSIONS: Marijuana use, binge drinking, and fighting are correlates of cigarette smoking among US adolescents. These associations, which vary by sex and race or ethnicity, suggest clustering to form a risk behavior syndrome.

Adolescent↗