HIV transmission risk behaviors among HIV-infected persons who are successfully linked to care.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the relationship between receipt of medical care for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and HIV transmission risk behavior among persons who had received a recent diagnosis of HIV infection.


METHODS
We enrolled 316 participants from 4 US cities and prospectively followed up participants for 1 year. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine whether having at least 3 medical care visits in a 6-month period was associated with unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse with an HIV-negative partner or partner with unknown HIV status.


RESULTS
A total of 27.5% of the participants (84 of 305) self-reported having unprotected sex with an HIV-negative or unknown status partner at enrollment, decreasing to 12% (31 of 258) and 14.2% (36 of 254) at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups, respectively. At follow-up, people who had received medical care for HIV infection at least 3 times had reduced odds of engaging in risk behavior, compared with those with fewer visits. Other factors associated with reduced risk behavior were being >30 years of age, male sex, not having depressive symptoms, and not using crack cocaine.


CONCLUSIONS
Being in HIV care is associated with a reduced prevalence of sexual risk behavior among persons living with HIV infection. Persons linked to care can benefit from prevention services available in primary care settings.
Metsch
Lisa R
LR
Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.
Pereyra
Margaret
M
Messinger
Shari
S
Del Rio
Carlos
C
Strathdee
Steffanie A
SA
Anderson-Mahoney
Pamela
P
Rudy
Ellen
E
Marks
Gary
G
Gardner
Lytt
L
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data