Condom use in multi-partnered males: importance of HIV and hepatitis B status.
The objective of the research was to determine the demographic, sexual and social risk factors associated with condom use in 7,089 multi-partnered men attending the Sydney Sexual Health Centre. A review of computerized medical records from 1991 to 1999 was carried out. Males with two or more partners in the last three months were divided into three condom use groups: consistent, sometimes and never. Men reporting sex with men (MSM) were more likely to use condoms than men having sex with only women (p=0.001). HIV positive men were more likely to use condoms consistently than those who were negative (p=0.001). In HIV negative non-hepatitis-B carriers, factors independently associated with inconsistent condom use included alcohol consumption, intravenous drug use (odds ratio (OR) 0.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47-0.77)) and being married (OR 0.2 (95% CI 0.21-0.31)). Factors associated with consistent condom use were MSM (OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.26-2.49)) and having three or more partners in the last 3 months (OR 2.4 (95% CI 2.023-2.83)). In the 508 hepatitis B carriers, consistent condom users were less likely to be married or intravenous drug users (OR 0.4 (95% CI 0.23-0.85)). In the 200 HIV antibody positive men, those with three or more partners were less likely to be consistent condom users than those with two (OR 0.3 (95% CI 0.11-0.82)). The conclusions are that a small number of HIV positive men report unsafe sex with multiple partners. Health promotion activities should be directed at this group.
Tawk
H M
HM
Sexually Transmitted Infections Research Centre, University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia.
Simpson
J M
JM
Mindel
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006293:Health Promotion; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000517:prevention & control*