Behavior assessment of women attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Vitória, Brazil
Miranda, A.E.; Lima, B.M.C.; Giami, A.; Golub, J.E.; Talhari, S.
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia 87(2): 197-202
2012
ISSN/ISBN: 1806-4841 PMID: 22570022 DOI: 10.1590/s0365-05962012000200002Document Number: 566249
Studies about sexual risk behaviors can provide information to support design strategies to control the spread of HIV infection. To assess sexual risk behaviors among women attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic in Vitória, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was performed among women attending an STD/AIDS reference center. Enrolled participants were interviewed and provided a blood sample to determine HIV status. A total of 276 women participated. among 284 selected; 109 (39.5%) were HIV-positive and 167 (60.5%) HIV-negative. Median age was 31 years (interquartile range (IQR)24-36) and 69% of women were between 18 and 34 years of age. Women reported high access to information about STD (87%) and AIDS (90%) but information about sexuality was less common (55%). HIV-positive women asked their partners to use condoms more often than HIV-negatives (31% vs. 5%, p=0.02), and were more likely to have used a condom at last intercourse (65% vs. 33%, p<0.01). Among all patients, questions regarding risk of HIV transmission through sexual intercourse (99.6%) and needle sharing (99.2%) were most frequently answered correctly, while questions regarding risk of HIV transmission through blood donation (57%) were least. Though this population reports easy access to information and services for HIV/sexually transmitted diseases, most report little understanding of unsafe sexual behaviors, particularly HIV-negative women.