Behaviors of heterosexual sexually, transmitted disease clinic patients with sex partners at increased risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
From March 1989 through December 1992, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted annual, voluntary surveys of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behavior in sentinel sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics in 25 cities in the United States.


OBJECTIVE
Describe behaviors of heterosexual participants who reported as their only risk for HIV infection sexual contact with persons at increased risk for HIV.


METHODS
Participants responded to a standard questionnaire that collected demographic data and medical, drug use, and sexual histories.


RESULTS
Sex with an injection drug user was the most common risk behavior. Fewer than 5% of participants always used condoms in the preceding year; 38% never used condoms. Multivariate analyses identified three independent predictors of HIV infection in men: living in the Northeast (odds ratio [OR] = 3.6; P < 0.001), sex with an HIV-infected woman (OR = 3.6; P < 0.01), and black race (OR = 2.7; P < 0.01). For women, sex with an HIV-infected man was the strongest predictor (OR = 12.0; P < 0.001) followed by Northeast residence (OR = 5.4; P < 0.001) and black race (OR = 3.4; P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Sexually transmitted disease clinic patients throughout the United States knowingly engaged in sexual activities with partners at increased risk for HIV infection. HIV prevention activities need to be targeted to all sexually active persons, particularly in areas where injection drug use and HIV are prevalent.
McCombs
S B
SB
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP), Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
McCray
E
E
Frey
R L
RL
Onorato
I M
IM
D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014481:United States