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PubMed1998

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↗

PubMed1985

A facilitatory role for serotonin in the sexual behavior of the female rat.

The peripheral administration of the serotonin type 2 receptor (5-HT2) antagonist pirenperone inhibited sexual receptivity in ovariectomized female rats primed either chronically with estradiol benzoate (EB), or acutely with EB plus varying doses of progesterone. An inhibition occurred at 50, 100 and 150 but not 25 micrograms/kg pirenperone. Increasing the dose of progesterone did not attenuate the inhibitory effect of pirenperone. Two other 5-HT2 antagonists, ketanserin (2.5 mg/kg) and spiperone (250 micrograms/kg), also inhibited receptivity in females primed with EB and progesterone. The inhibitory effect of pirenperone on receptivity was attenuated by the 5-HT agonist quipazine (3 mg/kg), though quipazine alone had no effect on receptivity. Whereas the 5-HT antagonist methysergide (3 mg/kg) failed to have an effect on receptivity in EB-primed females, methysergide co-administered with quipazine facilitated receptivity. Pirenperone also inhibited proceptivity in females primed with EB and progesterone. Although quipazine did not attenuate the pirenperone-induced inhibition of proceptivity, quipazine alone increased proceptivity. Moreover, quipazine facilitated proceptivity in EB-primed rats whether progesterone was present or absent. The results suggest that 5-HT may serve both a facilitatory and inhibitory role in female sexual behavior, perhaps reflecting 5-HT2 and 5-HT1 receptor activity, respectively.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Sexual behavior of stallions during in-hand natural service and semen collection: an observation in French studs.

The sexual behavior of 42 stallions from French national and private studs was examined in two contexts: semen collection for artificial insemination (AI) and in-hand natural service (NS). Each stallion was observed twice in the same context. Erection and ejaculation latencies, the number of mounts leading to ejaculation, dismount latency and total breeding time were measured and compared between AI and NS. Mount without erection was rare (6/83 observations). Erection latency was 89+/-11s, and was not different between NS (62+/-22s) and AI (100+/-13s, P=0.128). Stallions ejaculated after either one mount (62/83 observations), or two (11/83 observations) or three mounts (10/83 observations). Ejaculation latency was 85+/-15s (84+/-19 in AI and 86+/-28 in NS). If 1st mount did not lead to ejaculation, then ejaculation latency increased several fold following the 2nd mount during both AI and NS. The results provide reference measures for semen collection in French studs. Difference in erection latency between AI and NS, although not statistically significant, may reflect different contributions of excitatory inputs from the brain and the genital area to the activation of spinal networks controlling erection. In contrast, lack of difference in ejaculation latency between AI and NS suggests that the spinal network that controls ejaculation follows a more rigid motor pattern.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1989

Activation of sexual behavior in male rats by combined subcutaneous and intracranial treatments of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone.

When given peripherally, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, the major androgenic metabolite of testosterone, is relatively less effective than testosterone in activating sexual behavior of castrated male rats. In order to test the possible central nervous system effects of dihydrotestosterone more directly, we castrated Long-Evans rats, gave them a behaviorally subthreshold dose of dihydrotestosterone placed subcutaneously in Silastic capsules (ScDHT), and then additionally treated the rats with intracranial implants of crystalline dihydrotestosterone (IcDHT, N = 12), testosterone (IcT, N = 12), or cholesterol (IcCHOL, N = 10) placed in the medial preoptic area. The peripheral ScDHT treatment maintained sexual organ weights of castrated males at levels comparable to those of intact males, but did not in itself significantly activate mating behavior. The addition of IcT or IcDHT to this treatment regimen significantly increased the number of males displaying mounting behavior, intromissions, and ejaculatory behavior (P less than 0.05) compared to males with IcCHOL implants. There were no significant differences between the group given IcT and the group given IcDHT. Results of this study support the hypothesis that the nonaromatizable androgen 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone can act in the rat brain to influence male sexual behavior. In addition, these data lead us to suggest that the relative ineffectiveness of dihydrotestosterone versus testosterone when given systemically may reflect differences in bioavailability of these hormones to the brain following such treatment.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The crack life: an ethnographic overview of crack use and sexual behavior among African-Americans in a midwest metropolitan city.

The use of crack cocaine and its associations with high-risk sexual behavior in view of the AIDS epidemic is reported commonly for major East and West Coast urban centers. This article describes and analyzes ethnographic data on crack use in Dayton, Ohio, a small midwestern city of less than 200,000 people. The results of 15 tape-recorded interviews are employed to sketch the basic outlines of crack use among African-Americans. A major focus is placed on analyzing the characteristics of the exchange of crack for sexual favors. High-risk behaviors for the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases are explored.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1996

A study of sexual behavior change in rural Senegal.

This study describes recent sociodemographic and behavioral changes in a rural community in Senegal and investigates how these changes may have modified the risk of HIV/STD transmission. The authors combine findings from two surveys: (a) a marriage survey among all adults of a rural community of approximately 7,000 inhabitants; and (b) a sexual practices survey conducted among a sample of the same population (165 men and 165 women) between 1989 and 1994. During the last 30 years--between 1955-64 and 1985-92--age at first marriage increased in the study area from 25 to 32 years for men and from 21 to 24 years for women. At the same time, age at first sexual intercourse decreased by approximately 10 years on average for men. As expected, this has led to an increase in premarital sexual activity, and we have documented both an increase in the percentage of individuals declaring sexual relations before marriage and, for men, an increase in the number of sexual partners before marriage. Multipartnership is more frequent among men than women (OR=4.4), among those who had their first intercourse at an early age (OR=3.3), among rural migrants (OR=2.7), and among those who had a good knowledge of AIDS. These findings show how recent changes in marriage, sexual behaviors, and seasonal migration have combined to increase the risk of HIV/STD infection within the community. Male rural migrants and their partners are particularly exposed.

Adult↗

PubMed1982

The relation of plasma androgen levels to sexual behaviors and attitudes of women.

Four androgens: dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a variety of sexual behaviors and attitudes, and several moods were determined regularly in two groups of healthy, married women who differed by three decades in age. The younger women exhibited significantly higher levels of each androgen, the differences being almost entirely attributable to ovarian failure in the older group. Although the older women reported the same levels of sexual desire and sexual arousal as the younger women, their intercourse frequencies and self-rated sexual gratification scores were significantly lower than the values obtained for the younger wives. One or more of the androgen levels related significantly and in the expected direction to each stage of the four-stage sexual response process. Global measures of so-called "sexual adjustment" and estimates of anxiety, depression, and hostility feelings experienced by these women did not relate significantly to any of the four androgen levels.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Partner notification for HIV and syphilis: effects on sexual behaviors and relationship stability.

BACKGROUND: Partner notification (PN), originally designed for syphilis control, has been used to control the spread of HIV since 1985. Because HIV infection is noncurable, the benefit of contact tracing and treatment demonstrated for the control of syphilis may not apply to HIV. For HIV, PN must facilitate behavior change that will reduce the spread of the infection. One concern is that HIV PN can promote the breakup of old partnerships and increase the acquisition of new partners, thereby spreading HIV infections. GOAL: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of partner notification (PN) on sexual behavior and relationship stability among HIV partnerships, with use of syphilis partnerships for comparison. STUDY DESIGN: Partnerships were eligible if the index case was interviewed by a disease intervention specialist (DIS) for PN and named at least one sex partner. Partnership information was reported by index cases interviewed at baseline and 3 and 6 months post-PN. Trends in partnership dissolution and acquisition, sexual abstinence, condom use, emotional abuse, and physical violence reported by HIV infection and syphilis index cases were compared. RESULTS: A total of 157 index cases (76 HIV infection and 81 syphilis) reported 220 partnerships (94 HIV and 126 syphilis). The PN process was completed for 32.7% of partnerships and it was completed more often for partnerships that were classified as main and cohabiting. After PN, 46.8% of partnerships dissolved, 15.9% of cases acquired a new partner, and emotional abuse and physical violence decreased significantly. HIV index cases were somewhat more likely to report using condoms at last sex act and less likely to acquire a new sex partner after PN compared to syphilis index cases. There was no difference post-PN between HIV infection and syphilis partnerships for partnership dissolution, physical violence, emotional abuse and abstention from sex. CONCLUSION: HIV PN did not appear to cause greater partnership dissolution, new partner acquisition, or violence compared with syphilis PN.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1982

Sexual behavior in female rats born in all-female litters.

Females born in all-female litters and females stemming from predominantly male litters were compared for masculine (mounting) and feminine sexual behavior (lordosis) under various dosages of estradiol followed by progesterone and under testosterone stimulation. Estradiol did not affect mounting levels in these groups. A critical dose level was established at 0.25 mg/animal of estradiol for both groups with respect to receptive behavior. Testosterone treatment reliably stimulated mounting in these females, but no differences were determined with respect to the litter composition in utero. The results are considered as a critical and negative finding with regard to the possibility that testosterone stemming from male littermates in utero affects the female's sexual development.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Influence of a single treatment with vitamin E or K (hormonal imprinting) of neonatal rats on the sexual behavior of adults.

The effect of a single neonatal treatment (imprinting) with vitamin E or vitamin K1 on the sexual activity of three-month old rats, was studied. In female animals vitamin E treatment significantly lowered the Meyerson index and lordosis quotient, among males there were significantly more inactive animals and no multiple ejaculations could be observed. Vitamin K1 treatment caused only slight changes in the same direction, in both sexes. Considering also earlier results concerning vitamin A and D neonatal treatments (alterations in receptor binding capacity, sex hormone levels and sexual behavior), and receptorial changes caused by neonatal vitamin E and K1 treatments, the present experiment also calls attention to the lifelong effects of perinatal treatment with lipid soluble vitamins.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Coming out and AIDS-related high-risk sexual behavior.

How the withdrawal of social support associated with the coming out of gay men influences AIDS-related sexual risk-taking among Flemish (Belgian) gay men is analyzed. Recruited via key persons, the 379 gay men in this nonclinical cohort completed a lengthy, computerized questionnaire dealing with diverse aspects of gay life and culture. Independent variables include demographic characteristics, AIDS knowledge, coming-out histories, six social support dimensions, and personal resources. The dependent variables were insertive and receptive anal intercourse with and without a condom. Stepwise regression explained, respectively, 41.2, 38.4, 18.4, and 14.2% of the variance. Absence of appraisal (the view that others approve of the way one does things or feels about things) led to higher frequencies of insertive anal sex (both with and without a condom). The experience of emotional conflict lowered the use of condoms by the insertive partner in anal intercourse. Disapproval by significant others of being gay also led to higher levels of receptive anal intercourse without a condom. Subjects with a high belief in mastery had higher frequencies of risk-taking, suggesting that the combination of the experience of negative reactions and high mastery lead to greater involvement in risky sexual behavior. Findings are interpreted within the theoretical framework of the coming-out process and gay identity formation.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1977

Ontogeny of biogenic amine systems and modification of indole levels upon adult sexual behavior in the rat.

Male, female and androgenized female rats treated on Days 9, 10 and 11 after birth with either 5-HTP or saline were tested for female sexual behavior in adulthood. It was hypothesized that such pharmacological manipulations of the developing serotonergic system in which Day 12 sex differences have been reported might have an influence on the expression of lordosis behavior. No effect of 5-HTP was found in either normal or androgenized females, even though fluormetric analysis indicated a marked increase in endogenous levels of 5-HT at Day 12. However, males treated with 5-HTP has significantly higher 5-HT levels than 5-HT treated control or androgenized females. In addition, flurometric analysis of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin from hypothalamus, mesencephalon and cortex was performed on male and female rats on Day 8, 10, 12 and 14 postnatally to examine the development of various transmitter systems during the early postnatal period.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

RNA and protein synthesis inhibitors: effects on sexual behavior in female rats.

Biochemical evidence indicates that many steroid hormone effects on target tissues are mediated via actions on the genome. Studies on the hormonal control of reproductive behavior have demonstrated several effects of RNA or protein synthesis inhibitors on female sexual behavior in rats. In female rats treated with estrogen and progesterone, intracranial application of actinomycin-D (an RNA synthesis inhibitor) can disrupt lordosis responding if the drug is given in conjunction with estrogen, but not with progesterone. Protein synthesis inhibitors (cycloheximide or anisomycin) applied intracranially at the time of estrogen also disrupt lordosis, with anisomycin antagonizing the progesterone-facilitation of lordosis. Possible neural sites of action of these drugs are considered, as are alternative modes of action of these synthesis inhibitors. Whereas the effects of estrogen on lordosis include the synthesis of some, as yet unidentified, proteins, the exact role for protein synthesis in the mediation of progesterone's actions on lordosis remains less certain.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

High-risk sexual behavior among young urban students.

A substantial number of adolescents, including many as young as 11, engage in high-risk sexual behavior. In a 1992 survey of 2,248 urban students in grades 6, 8 and 10, 45% of respondents, including 28% of sixth graders, were sexually active; the majority of sexually experienced students had had two or more partners. Among sexually active respondents, however, the level of condom use at last intercourse was higher than expected (71%). Results of multivariate analyses indicate that students in grades 8 and 10 were significantly more likely than sixth graders to be sexually experienced; males, blacks and socioeconomically disadvantaged students were significantly more likely than their female, white and better-off counterparts to be sexually active. The effects of gender and race interacted in some cases, and race and socioeconomic status had significant independent effects on rates of sexual intercourse. While males and black students reported high levels of sexual activity, they also were more likely than young women and Hispanics to have used condoms at last intercourse.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1992

Sexual behavior and status for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 among homosexual and bisexual males in Mexico City.

The authors examined sexual behaviors, the seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), and condom use among 2,314 homosexual and bisexual men tested during 1988-1989 at the AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) National Center in Mexico City. Bisexuals constituted 24% of the sample; the seroprevalence rate was lower for bisexuals than homosexuals (21 vs. 34%). In logistic regressions, HIV-1 seropositivity was independently related to age, education, pattern of insertive/receptive behavior in anal sex, lifetime number of male sex partners, having sex with someone with AIDS, homosexual versus bisexual behavior, and a history of condyloma. The same logistic regressions were found to fit bisexuals and homosexuals. The rate of HIV-1 was reduced in individuals who indicated always requiring their partners to use a condom when practicing receptive anal sex (1% of the total). The most common practice for both homosexuals and bisexuals was "mixed" behavior (i.e., both insertive and receptive anal sex); this was also the practice with the highest risk. Bisexuals practiced both vaginal and anal sex with women and reported little condom use. The substantial seroprevalence among bisexuals, their frequent sexual contact with women, and their low rate of condom use imply a continuing role as a bridge of infection to females. Whether this risk will lead to a sustained heterosexual epidemic remains to be determined.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1976

[Sexual behavior during pregnancy (author's transl)].

In a sample of 239 women in the immediate post-partum period a detailed interview concerning their sexual behavior during pregnancy was conducted. It was found, that the sexual activity declines constantly during the pregnancy-period. Women, who reported a high sexual activity before pregnancy tended to be more active throughout pregnancy. Rate of sexual activity was negatively influenced by a poor relationship to the male partner. This impairment seems to be more essential than the influence of physical symptoms. Women with a positive attitude towards pregnancy also showed a higher rate of sexual activities. It was shown, that relaxed behavior during birth is positive correlated with a high coital frequency before and during pregnancy. There was no relationship between coitus in late pregnancy and complications during birth.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Effects of chronically high doses of the anabolic androgenic steroid, testosterone, on intermale aggression and sexual behavior in male rats.

To determine if chronic exposure to high doses of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) increase aggression and sexual activity in gonadally intact rats, we administered SC injections of testosterone propionate (TP: 1 mg) or propylene glycol (PG: as a vehicle control) three times per week for 10 consecutive weeks. Weekly tests for male copulation were conducted by pairing each male with a sexually receptive female in a glass arena and recording various parameters of copulation. Chronic treatment with TP did not alter any parameter of male copulation including ejaculation and post ejaculatory interval. Sexually experienced males were tested once per week for intermale aggression in a neutral environment. For aggression tests, each experimental animal was placed into an arena with an opponent male for 15 min. The opponent, a gonadally intact male, was used only for the purpose of the aggression test. Frequencies of dominance, submissive, threat, and fight postures, as well as approaches were scored for each animal. TP-treated males did not differ in body weight from PG-treated males, suggesting that the increased aggression was not due to increased body mass. The results of this study show that chronic exposure to the anabolic androgenic steroid, testosterone, potentiates male aggressive response patterns but does not alter male sexual behavior or body weight.

Aggression↗

PubMed1981

Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol stimulates receptive and proceptive sexual behaviors in female hamsters.

This experiment studied the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on lordosis responses and ultrasonic communication (measures of sexual receptivity and proceptivity, respectively) in female hamsters. Specifically, lordosis durations and rates of ultrasound production by estradiol-primed ovariectomized hamsters were observed following acute treatment with 1.5 mg/kg of THC, 500 micrograms of progesterone, or the injection vehicle. The results showed that THC can facilitate both lordosis and ultrasound production. Together with results from other laboratories, these data indicate that THC can stimulate female sexual behavior and suggest that this effect reflects a direct, nonhormonal, effect of THC on brain mechanisms for behavior.

Animals↗