title: Insights from a survey of sexual behavior among a group of at-risk women in Tehran, Iran, 2006.
abstract: Despite high rates of HIV among male injection drug users, the sexual behaviors of at-risk women in Iran remain unknown. A questionnaire on HIV knowledge and risk behavior was administered in a Tehran nongovernmental organization targeting runaways and other women seeking safe haven. Half (total N = 50) were less than 24 years old; baseline HIV knowledge was high. The few who acknowledged using illicit substances said they used "frequently." Nonresponse rates to questions regarding sexual behavior were high (12 of 50). Half admitted a history of sexual activity; 40% of those reported their first sexual contact with someone other than their husband; three people had multiple partners. Three women reported a history of rape. Zero (97.5% one-sided confidence interval [CI] = 0, 0.17) of 35 women tested positive for HIV or syphilis. This study documents the existence of sexual behavior in a population of Iranian women, represents one of the first attempts at sexual research in the Iranian context, and highlights challenges in surveying this vulnerable group.
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Infectious Diseases, Emam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahboubeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hajiabdolbaghi
authors.forename: Nooshin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Razani
authors.forename: Nazli
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karami
authors.forename: Parastoo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kheirandish
authors.forename: Minoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohraz
authors.forename: Mehrnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasoolinejad
authors.forename: Khojasteh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arefnia
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kourorian
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: Willi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McFarland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data