Sex behavior of patients attending a free, anonymous HIV screening center in Paris
Aynaud, O.
Contraception Fertilite Sexualite 25(3): 242-250
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 1165-1083 PMID: 9156714 Document Number: 478921
People's sexual behavior changes as they acquire knowledge od HIV infection. During a 10-week period (September-November 1994), we analysed the results of interviews conducted prior to free, anonymous tests in the Figuier HIV screening center (CDAG, Paris). Men accounted for 61% of the 1275 attendees, and 62% were aged between 20 and 29 years (both sexes). Consultants were homo/bisexuals in 26% cases and 23% had an HIV-infected partner. Male and female hetero-sexual represented respectively 35 and 38% of attendees, and 1.7% had an HIV-infected partner. Most of the subjects (76%) had had more than one sexual partner in the last 12 months. 72% of the homo/bisexuals of all ages stated that they used condoms systematically during sexual penetration, compared to 35% of the heterosexuals. In contrast, only 3.9% of homo/bisexual used condoms during oral intercourse. 12% of the subjects (21% of homo/bisexuals, and 8.5% of heterosexuals) stated that they had been treated for an STD during the previous year, and most were aged between 25 and 34 years. The most frequent stated STDs were anogenital papillomavirus and herpes virus infections, and chlamydial infections. 80% of the homo/bisexual considered they "too a risk" (oral intercourse), compared to 47% of heterosexuals. 10% of the subjects did not collect their result. In this study the seroprevalence of HIV was 1%, with the highest values in the 25-34 year age group and among homo/bisexuals (3%), and the lowest values among male and female heterosexuals (0.4% and 0.2%, respectively). Most of the subjects, on the basis of their stated sexual behavior, were aware of the risk of HIV infection, but the high frequency of STDs shows that prevention campaigns must be reinforced. Practician must offer advice on prevention and screening in order to reduce the frequency of infective and tumoral diseases due to sexually transmitted pathogens.