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PubMedDate not supplied

Vaginal colonization with mycoplasma hominis and ureaplasma urealyticum.

Vaginal cultures obtained from unselected young women who consulted the gynecologist in a student health service were examined for Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis. Each participant completed a confidential questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine which variables, of a large number ascertained, were associated with mycoplasmal colonization. U. urealyticum was isolated from 273 (56.8%) of 481 participants. The following variables were significantly predictive of colonization with U. urealyticum: black race, absence of antibiotic use, cigarette smoking, and number of sexual partners during the last year. Lifetime number of sexual partners was significantly predictive only in women who used nonbarrier methods of contraception. M. hominis was isolated from 85 (17.7%) of the 481 participants. Independent variables that were significantly predictive of colonization with M. hominis included black race, young age, and, for users of nonbarrier methods of contraception, lifetime number of sexual partners.

Black or African American↗

PubMed1991

Comparison of selected college students' and sexually transmitted disease clinic patients' knowledge about AIDS, risk behaviours and beliefs about condom use.

Selected college students and sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic patients of the same age were compared for knowledge about AIDS, use of condoms, sexual behaviours and intentions to engage in various sexual practices. The Theory of Reasoned Action model was used to elicit beliefs about condom use and significant referents who influence condom-use decision making. Eighty-seven per cent of college students were sexually active. College students had significantly fewer sexual partners in a 30-day period than STD patients, but in a 6-month period the mean number of sexual partners was the same for both groups. Significant difference was found in frequency of condom use for subjects with more than one partner. Of the college student sample, 60% did not use condoms compared with 32% of STD patients. Eighteen per cent of college students reported intention to engage in anal intercourse. No STD patients reported such intention. No statistical difference was found between groups on overall knowledge about AIDS: both groups manifested adequate knowledge of basic AIDS-related facts. Significant differences between groups were found in rank order of beliefs about using condoms as well as those referents who influenced decision making. Beliefs about disease, pregnancy, worry and normative influences of sexual partner and friends had the strongest impact on college students. Sexual partner and mother had a strong influence on STD patients' decision making while 'disease', 'pregnancy', 'decreases feeling' and 'decreases partner's pleasure' were among the beliefs influencing condom use.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2000

Risk factors for recurrent sexually transmitted infections in Uganda.

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of recurrent sexually transmitted infections (STIs). DESIGN: A cross-sectional interview survey. SETTING: STD Clinic, Old Mulago Hospital, Kampala. METHODS: Eligible patients answered questions about their socio-demographic situation; STI symptoms; sexual behaviour; sexual partner referral; health seeking behaviour and whether they had a recurrent infection or not. Bivariate and multivariate stepwise logistic regression models were used to identify independent predictors of recurrent STIs. RESULTS: Fifty two (38%) out of 138 patients had recurrent STIs. On bivariate analysis the predictors of recurrent STIs were: being male; age > or = 25 years; inability to read in English; presenting with genital itching; attributing source of symptoms to sexual partner; not being asked to refer sexual partners at previous treatment site; having more than five lifetime partners; knowing how to use a condom; ever using a condom; and using a condom at least once in the previous three months. On multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for recurrent infection were: age > or = 25 years (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 2.70, 95% CI 1.20, 5.88); inability to read English AOR = 3.09, (95% CI 1.38, 6.92); and having more than five, lifetime partners AOR = 2.56 (95% CI 1.11, 5.88). CONCLUSION: Reducing the number of sexual partners and targeting people who do not speak English with health education messages in the local language may reduce the frequency of recurrent STIs.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Sexual behavior, condom use, and human papillomavirus: pooled analysis of the IARC human papillomavirus prevalence surveys.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection but it is unclear whether differences in transmission efficacy exist between individual HPV types. Information on sexual behavior was collected from 11 areas in four continents among population-based, age-stratified random samples of women of ages > or = 15 years. HPV testing was done using PCR-based enzyme immunoassay. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) of being HPV positive and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Variables were analyzed categorically. When more than two groups were compared, floating confidence intervals were estimated by treating ORs as floating absolute risks. A total of 11,337 women (mean age, 41.9 years) were available. We confirmed that lifetime number of sexual partners is associated with HPV positivity (OR for > or = 2 versus 1, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.63-2.11) but the association was not a linear one for HPV18, 31, and 33 (i.e., no clear increase for > or = 3 versus 2 sexual partners). Women who had multiple-type infection and high-risk HPV type infection reported a statistically nonsignificant higher number of sexual partners than women who had single-type and low-risk type infections, respectively. Early age at sexual debut was not significantly related to HPV positivity. Husband's extramarital sexual relationships were associated with an OR of 1.45 (95% CI, 1.24-1.70) for HPV positivity in their wives after adjustment for age and lifetime number of women's sexual partners. We did not observe a significant association with condom use. Our study showed an effect of both women's and their husbands' sexual behavior on HPV positivity. Furthermore, it suggests some differences in the pattern of the association between sexual behavior and different HPV types.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Factors associated with the obtaining of a second-trimester induced abortion.

This study investigated the factors associated with the obtaining of a second-trimester induced abortion in women consulting the Family Planning Clinic of Le Centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval in Quebec City, between September 6, 1988 and May 11, 1990. During the study period, 2,771 women obtained abortions at between six and 16 weeks of gestation in a multidisciplinary setting. Of 18 independent variables entered in a stepwise multiple regression analysis, ten made independent contributions to explain the variance at least at the p < 0.05 level of statistical significance. Taken together, these ten variables explained 9.4% of the total variance in gestational age: being young; having a low level of education; living far from the clinic; having other children; having a sexually transmitted disease before the abortion; not using contraception or using oral contraceptives at the time of conception, or being sterilized or having a sexual partner who has had a vasectomy; having had few sexual partners in the year preceding the abortion; not having a significant relationship with a regular sexual partner; being ambivalent about the decision to abort; and having a delay between the first consultation with the clinic and the abortion.

Abortion, Induced↗

PubMed1987

Risk factors and prevalence of HIV antibodies in homosexual men in the Netherlands.

As part of the prospective AIDS study in Amsterdam, blood samples were collected from 741 healthy homosexual men with multiple sexual partners, between October 1984 and May 1985. Samples were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV). Anti-HIV was demonstrated in 233 (31%) of the respondents. Seropositive respondents engaged in anal receptive sexual techniques with more sexual partners than did seronegative respondents, whereas seronegatives engaged in manual sexual techniques with more sexual partners than did seropositives. As far as it was possible to control for the interrelations between the measured variables, a direct relation with anti-HIV was established. This leads to the conclusion that when the number of sexual partners is considered a risk factor for HIV, a clear distinction should be made between the sexual techniques practiced with these partners. Two other risk factors for the presence of anti-HIV were the use of cannabis and of nitrite.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pilot study of AIDS risk in the general population.

This study evaluated a methodology for obtaining information on the prevalence of risk behaviors for human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) in the general population. From two census tracts in an upper midwestern urban community, 334 households were identified at random. One adult between the ages of 18 and 55 years in each household was asked to complete a confidential questionnaire about knowledge and attitudes toward acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and risk behaviors for HIV infection. Half the responders were also asked to provide a blood sample for HIV serotesting. Response rates to the behavior questionnaire were high (85 to 90 percent). However, only 72 percent of those asked to provide a blood sample agreed to do so. Survey results showed low rates of HIV risk behavior in this population sample. The median number of lifetime sexual partners was five for men and three for women, and most reported contacts exclusively with persons of the opposite sex. Eleven percent of the men and 5 percent of the women reported having had sexual partners of the same sex during their lifetime. Seven percent of men and 3 percent of women reported same sex partners in the last 12 months. Very few reported extremely high-risk behaviors (that is, only one man reported multiple sexual partners with anal intercourse in the previous year). About one in five survey respondents reported having changed his or her behavior because of the AIDS epidemic, usually by being more selective about and reducing the number of sexual partners. Success of the methodology employed in this survey gives reason for optimism that population-based surveys of behavioral risks for HIV infection are feasible.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Dating preferences of university women: an analysis of the nice guy stereotype.

Many researchers have attempted to discover what types of men women consider most desirable for relationship partners. This study investigated university women's (N = 165) perceptions of "nice guys," specifically whether women perceived nice guys to be more or less sexually successful than guys who are considered not nice. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were used. The qualitative analysis was useful in understanding women's differing interpretations of the nice guy label. More than one half of the women agreed that nice guys have fewer sexual partners. However, more than one half also reported a preference for a nice guy over a bad boy as a date. As hypothesized, women who placed a lesser emphasis on the importance of sex, who had fewer sexual partners, and who were less accepting of men who had many sexual partners were more likely to choose the nice guy as a dating partner. The findings indicate that nice guys are likely to have fewer sexual partners but are more desired for committed relationships.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

[Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum in different gynecologic diseases].

The incidence of Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis) y Ureaplasma urealyticum (U. urealyticum) was investigated in 113 endocervical samples obtained from women who were seen for different gynecological pathologies. Forty-seven (42%) patients were positive to these microorganisms; 26 cases (23%) were positive for M. hominis and 21 (19%; p = NS) for U. urealyticum. Average age was 32.1 +/- 7.7 years; the average number of sexual partners was 1.7 +/- 1.1. Eleven of 17 patients with 3 o more sexual partners were positive for Genital Mycoplasma (GM), and U. urealyticum was found more often in this group. A higher incidence of GM was found in women between 26 and 30 years (34%); 57.5% of the patients with positive cultures for GM had begun sexual activity before 20 years of age. M. Hominis was found in 61% of women with no parity and U. urealyticum in 71% of parous women. The cultures were positive in 10 of 14 patients with pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID). A cervical biopsy was taken from 52 cases and the diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) was made in 49 (94%) but only 24 of them were positive for GM (50%). Thirty-five patients suffered sterility, and 12 (34%) were positive for GM, however all positive cases consulted because of primary sterility. The conclusions obtained from this study are: 1) Near half of the patients was positive for GM and none of the species was predominant over the other. 2) The more sexual partners the higher was the incidence of GM, especially U. Urealyticum. 3) The lower the age of the first sexual intercourse the higher the probability of contamination with these microorganisms. 4) M. hominis was more common in nulliparous women and U. urealyticum was found more often in parous patients; the number of deliveries did not have influence in these findings. 5) A statistical significance between GM and PID was found (p = 0.03). 6) GM have no influence on spontaneous abortion. 7) No statistical significance was found between GM and the beginning and evolution of CIN. 8) No relation statistically significative was found between GM and sterility.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

The role of sexual factors in the aetiology of cervical dysplasia.

The effect of sexual behavior on the risk for cervical dysplasia was evaluated in a case-control study. Cases (n = 257) had a histologically confirmed diagnosis of cervical dysplasia. Controls (n = 705) were sampled from the general population. A postal questionnaire was used to obtain information about, among other things, age at first sexual intercourse, number of sexual partners, current frequency of intercourse and contraceptive use. Information was also collected about other risk factors for cervical dysplasia, in order to adjust for possible confounding. We observed higher risks for cervical dysplasia (mild, moderate and severe) with increasing number of sexual partners. This effect appeared to be dependent on smoking behaviour. For women who reported more than six sexual partners, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 9.1 (95% CI: 3.5-23.7) for non-smokers, and 26.4 (95% CI: 11.8-58.8) for women who smoked > or = 20 cigarettes per day. The effects of age at first sexual intercourse and current frequency of intercourse disappeared after adjustment for other risk factors. Use of oral contraceptives for > 10 years increased the risk (aOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.2-4.6). Thus, the number of sexual partners, especially in combination with smoking behaviour, appeared to be the most important risk factor for cervical dysplasia.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed1990

Determinants of self-perceived risk for AIDS.

This paper examines self-perceptions of risk for AIDS and factors that contribute to estimations of risk. On the basis of a telephone survey of 1,540 adults age 18 to 60, we address the question: What heuristic factors predict perception of risk for AIDS? Results show that five heuristic categories determine self-perceptions of risk: sexual practices, moral evaluations of people with AIDS, emotional response to AIDS, protective actions in response to AIDS, and demographic characteristics. Number of sexual partners over the past five years and knowledge of sexual partners' past sexual behavior are associated significantly with increased perceptions of risk. Fear of AIDS and worry about one's health also contribute significantly to self-perception of risk, as does shame associated with having AIDS. Asian-Americans and persons with no particular religious affiliation report greater perceptions of risk. These findings call attention to heuristic factors in considering theories of risk and in designing interventions to change preventive actions associated with high risk for AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2002

[Analysis of risk factors for cervical cancer in Xiangyuan County, Shanxi Province].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk factors for cervical cancer in the areas of high incidence, and provide evidence for current intervention of cervical cancer. METHODS: In the areas of Xiangyuan County, Shanxi Provicne with high incidence of cervical cancer, 1 997 women were interviewed using a questionnaire, including baseline information, menstrual, marital and pregnancy histories, sexual behavior, health habits, contraception, medical history and family history of cancer, etc., after its screening with six kinds of methods. All subjects, including 84 cases with pathological diagnosis of greater than cINI, and 1 784 cases with pathological diagnosis of normal, were tested for high-risk HPV. RESULTS: The overall rates of HPV infection were 20.8% (415/1 997) in high-risk subjects, 97.7% and 14.2% in the cases and control groups, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that risk factors with statistical significance included high-risk HPV infection, age at first sexual intercourse, history of pregnancy and abortion, the number of sexual partners and family history of cancer. Analysis with non-conditional logistic regression model revealed high-risk HPV infection, multiple sexual partners and family history of cancer associated obviously with occurrence of cervical cancer. In addition, there was significantly positive relationship between HPV infection, which increased with the number of sexual partners, and extramarital sexual activity both in males or females. CONCLUSIONS: The main risk factor for cervical cancer in this region was high-risk HPV infection, which related to sexual behavior, hygienic habits during menstruation and puerperium. It was particularly important to detect and treat precancerous lesions and to implement behavior modification. In addition, further research on genetic susceptibility was suggested.

Abortion, Induced↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Risk factors for Clamydia infections of the genital organs in adolescent females].

INTRODUCTION: Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infections are the most common bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The highest age-specific rates for chlamydia are found in adolescents. Female adolescents are more susceptible to STDs than older women because their cervical anatomic development is incomplete and especially sensitive to infection by certain sexually transmitted pathogens, and for some other features that characterize sexual behavior and health care behavior of the young people. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and risk indicators statistically associated with the presence of Ct genital infection in adolescent females. METHOD: The study group comprised 300 sexually active 19 years old girls who were attending the Mother and Child Health Care Institute of Serbia in the period from 1995 to 1997. The participants of this study were interviewed about their sexual behavior, health care behavior and their responsibility level in sexual relationships. Physical examination included microbiological and colposcopic findings. Vaginal and cervical microbiological examinations included the analysis of collected specimens for microscopic and culture analyses. Ct infection of the cervix was identified by direct immunofluorescence staining of smears using monoclonal antibodies. Colposcopic findings were divided in two groups: cervical ectopy and other findings. Data were statistically analyzed using step-wise linear regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of Ct genital infection in the study group was 30.3%. Characteristics in adolescent girls with this infection were mostly as follows: first sexual intercourse was before the age of 17, first sexual partner was older, a great number of sexual partners, (more than 3-25.3% vs 20.1%; more than 4-16.5% vs 10.5%), sexual intercourse during casual contact (44.0% vs 34.4%) and high coital frequency (83.5% vs 72.7%). Among these characteristics, only the coital frequency was significantly associated with the probability of chlamydial genital infection (p < 0.05). Statistical findings about the use of contraceptives among the adolescents indicated that the level of safe sexual practice was low in the majority of girls, despite the presence of chlamydial genital infection. Nevertheless, the girls without Ct genital infection more frequently reported the condom as the method of contraception used for the longest adolescence period (41.6%) in comparison with the adolescent females infected by Ct (17.6%). This difference was statistically significantly associated with the possible manifestation of Ct genital infection (p < 0.05). Healthy adolescent females used condom more frequently at the last intercourse (37.3%) than girls with Ct genital infection (18.2%). Adolescent females often experienced only 0-2 methods of contraception (70.3% of girls infected with Ct and 59.8% of healthy girls). Health care behavior was poor in the examined girls. The suspicion of getting a STD was the reason for their first gynaecological examination in 25.3% of adolescent women with Ct genital infection and in 20.6% of healthy girls. Unwanted pregnancy during adolescence reported 16.5% of girls with Ct cervicitis and 15.8% of healthy girls. The existence of STD previous to examination was noted in 7.9% of infected girls and 7.7% of healthy subjects. Drug abuse reported 23.1% of studied adolescent females with Ct genital infection and 23.0% without it. A large proportion of both the adolescent females and their partners had negative attitudes toward the condom use (54.9% of infected girls and 57.1% of their partners; 32.1% of healthy girls and 35.9% of their partners). The difference between the attitudes toward the condom use among infected and healthy adolescent women and their partners was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Clinical findings of cervical ectopy were more frequent in girls infected with Ct (60.4%) in comparison to healthy girls (15.8%). These differences were also statistically significant (p < 0.001). Associated genital infections (vaginal and/or cervical) were more frequent in adolescent women with Ct cervicitis (56.0%) than in healthy girls (36.8%). The observed differences were statistically significant (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Predictors of Ct genital infection in adolescent women, according to the step-wise linear regression analysis, were as follows: the presence of cervical ectopy, negative attitudes of adolescent girls and their partners toward the condom use; associated genital infections; frequent coitus; experience in causal sexual relations and older age of the first sexual partner. However, the possibility that this criterion provides imprecise identification of uninfected adolescent women and separation of only Ct infected women, is limited. Therefore, screening of the presence of Ct genital infections in all sexually active adolescent women is necessary.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Factors associated with HIV infection are not the same for all women.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine if factors associated with HIV infection vary between subpopulations of women resident in Great Britain. DESIGN: Case-control analyses on already existing datasets. SETTING: Great Britain. PARTICIPANTS: 317 cases selected from a MRC Collaborative Study of HIV Infection in Women and 3635 controls selected from a National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. MAIN RESULTS: Factors associated with HIV infection varied among subpopulations of women. Among women heterosexually infected, factors associated with HIV infection were residence in London (odds ratio (OR) = 8.3; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 4.6 to 14.9), widowhood (OR = 47.6; CI 20.0 to 113.1), being black (OR = 25.2; CI 15.6 to 40.8) and particularly among white women, having 10 or more sexual partners (OR = 14.5; CI 5.1 to 41.3). Young age was important for black women heterosexually infected. Among women who shared needles, residence in London (OR = 19.0; CI 5.8 to 62.6) or Scotland (OR = 26.9; CI 8.0 to 90.4) and large numbers of sexual partners was important (OR = 19.6; CI 6.4 to 60.0); termination of pregnancy history was also important for those with fewer than 10 sexual partners (OR = 6.7; CI 3.4 to 13.1); and low social class was important for those with 10 or more sexual partners (OR = 4.1; CI 1.7 to 9.6). CONCLUSIONS: Factors vary in importance and significance of association with HIV infection in different subpopulations of women resident in Great Britain. This diversity is also likely to occur in other populations. It is important to identify these differences between subpopulations. Prevention and control policies and activities for HIV/AIDS cannot treat all women as if they were the same.

Abortion, Induced↗

PubMed1995

Predictors of high and low levels of HIV risk behavior among adults with chronic mental illness.

OBJECTIVE: Several recent studies confirm elevated rates of human immunodeficiency virus infection among acute and chronic mentally ill adults in large urban areas. This research sought to characterize risk for HIV infection among adults with chronic mental illness and to examine psychosocial factors predictive of risk. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-five adults with chronic mental illness who were sexually active in the past year outside of exclusive relationships were individually interviewed in community mental health clinics using a structured HIV risk assessment protocol. RESULTS: More than 50 percent of the study participants were sexually active in the past month, and 25 percent had multiple sexual partners during that period. Fifteen percent of the men had male sexual partners. In more than 75 percent of occasions of sexual intercourse, condoms were not used. When participants were categorized as at either high or lower risk for HIV infection based on their pattern of condom use, psychosocial factors that predicted risk level included measures of participants' self-reported efficacy in using condoms, perceptions of social norms related to safer sex among peers and sexual partners, and expectations about outcomes associated with condom use, as well as participants' level of objectively assessed behavioral skills in negotiation and assertiveness in sexual situations. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions aimed at prevention of HIV and AIDS are urgently needed in settings that provide services to persons with chronic mental illness.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

Severity of heroin dependence and HIV risk. I. Sexual behaviour.

The HIV risks associated with the sexual behaviour of drug injectors have sometimes been overshadowed by the more obvious risks of injection behaviour. In this study, 408 heroin users were interviewed in the community; 50% were not currently in treatment and 42% had never had any treatment contact. In addition to data on drug use, information was collected on sexual risk behaviour by means of a linked anonymous questionnaire (96% returned). Eighty-nine per cent of the sample had had at least one sexual partner in the previous year and 58% had a regular sexual partner at the time of interview. Drug users who had a sexual partner who was injecting drugs were more severely dependent upon heroin. Twenty-three per cent of the men and 20% of the women reported having had anal intercourse in the previous year. Seventeen per cent of the women and 6% of the men had engaged in some form of prostitution. Severity of heroin dependence was positively related to the occurrence and to the frequency of sex-for-money transactions and to the less well recognized phenomenon of sex-for-drugs; this association with severity of dependence applied to the women and to the men who have sex with men. The overall level of condom use was low in this sample, though condom use was more frequent among those involved in sex-for-money or sex-for-drugs transactions. Low levels of condom use were reported even for such high risk activities as anal sex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydial urethritis in military recruits in the Celje region, Slovenia.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydial urethritis in military recruits in the Celje region (population 300,000), Slovenia. A first-void urine specimen was tested for Chlamydia trachomatis using the polymerase chain reaction assay. The research was supported by a questionnaire to obtain information on sexual behaviour of the participants. In the cross-sectional study from 1999 to 2001, 1272 asymptomatic recruits were included. None had received antibiotics in the previous two weeks. The mean age was 19.9 years. At the time of their first sexual experience the mean age was 16.6 years, whereas the age of their female sexual partners was 17.1 years. During their first sexual intercourse 77% of recruits used contraception (condom, diaphragm, contraceptive pill), most of those a condom (86%). The prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydial urethritis was 2.6% (95% confidence interval: 1.7 to 3.5). The mean age of those infected was 19.8 years. At the time of their first sexual experience the mean age was 16.2 years, whereas the age of their female sexual partners was 16.9 years. During their first sexual intercourse 57% of infected subjects used protection, half of which was a condom. Those who never or only occasionally used condoms were at a greater risk of being infected with C. trachomatis (adjusted odds ratio 2.04).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Changes in HIV risk behaviour in clients of syringe-exchange schemes in England and Scotland.

The impact of syringe-exchange schemes on the behaviour of injecting drug users was investigated through self-reported behaviour change. Fifteen syringe-exchange schemes in England and Scotland participated in a government-sponsored pilot programme from April 1987. Clients were provided with sterile injecting equipment and condoms, and with knowledge of HIV risks. One hundred and forty-two injecting drug users who first attended between April 1987 and March 1988 participated in a prospective interview-based survey with questions at two points in time. Measurements were self-reported attitudinal, knowledge and behavioural changes relevant to HIV infection and transmission. Many clients maintained or adopted low-risk behaviours: 79% sustained or adopted low or lower levels of syringe sharing. Trends identified include decreases in syringe-sharing, from 34 to 27%; using others' syringes (risk of infection) from 25 to 19%; passing on syringes (risk of transmission) from 30 to 25%. Many clients reported changes in sexual behaviour; those with sexual partners decreased from 77 to 69% and those with two or more sexual partners from 26 to 21%. However, non-use of condoms increased from 62 to 79%. Comparison groups of non-attenders showed higher levels of risk behaviour (59-62% sharing syringes, 86-88% with sexual partners). Overall, changes in HIV risk behaviour show small but encouraging trends and support arguments that injectors can be helped to change their behaviour, which could be of cumulative importance in reducing the spread of HIV.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗