Changes in risk behavior among HIV-positive patients during their first year of antiretroviral therapy in Cape Town South Africa.
We explore changes in sexual risk behaviour over the first year of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among a cohort of patients in Cape Town South Africa initiating treatment in five public facilities in 2006 and again 1 year later (Time 1 and Time 2). Contemporaneous measures of unprotected sex were also obtained from 2 cross-sectional samples of HIV-positive patients waiting to start ART attending the same facilities. Unprotected sex at last sex among patients on ART decreased significantly from a baseline of 44.7-23.2% one year later, regardless of partner status. After controlling for confounding factors, the observed decrease in unprotected sex among the ART cohort was highly significant in relation to the 2 cross-sectional samples of patients at Time 1 and Time 2 waiting to initiate ART. Findings suggest it is critical to start positive prevention to decrease risky sexual behavior prior to the start of ART within this setting.
Eisele
Thomas P
TP
Department of International Health and Development, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA. teisele@tulane.edu
Mathews
Catherine
C
Chopra
Mickey
M
Lurie
Mark N
MN
Brown
Lisanne
L
Dewing
Sarah
S
Kendall
Carl
C
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents