title: HIV transmission risk behaviors among HIV-infected persons who are successfully linked to care.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Metsch
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pereyra
authors.forename: Shari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Messinger
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Rio
authors.forename: Steffanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Strathdee
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anderson-Mahoney
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rudy
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: Lytt
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gardner
mesh_terms: 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