title: Sexual partner concurrency among STI clinic patients with a steady partner: correlates and associations with condom use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Partner concurrency facilitates the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In this study, we sought to (1) determine the correlates of concurrency among patients with a steady partner, and (2) identify correlates of condom use among patients reporting concurrent steady and non-steady partners.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients recruited from an STI clinic (n = 973; 48% female; 68% African-American) completed a survey that assessed demographic characteristics, substance use, sexual partnerships and sexual behaviour, including condom use. Patients reporting a steady sexual partner for 3 months or longer were included in the analyses. Those who also reported a non-steady partner in the past 3 months, in addition to a steady partner, were considered to have engaged in concurrency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly two-thirds (64%) of patients reported both steady and non-steady partners in the past 3 months. Steady/non-steady concurrency was associated with being male, not cohabitating with a partner, use of alcohol and other drugs, and thinking their steady partner was monogamous. Patients with steady and non-steady partners reported that they seldom used condoms consistently with steady (5%) or non-steady (24%) partners. Compared to patients who did not report concurrency, patients who reported steady/non-steady concurrency reported more episodes of unprotected sex in the past 3 months. Among patients reporting concurrency, consistent condom use with non-steady partners was more likely among individuals who (a) used less alcohol and (b) thought that their steady partner was non-monogamous.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To reduce risk for HIV and other STIs, behavioural interventions need to address partner concurrency and its correlates, including alcohol and other drug use.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health and Behavior, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA. tsenn@syr.edu
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Senn
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Vanable
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coury-Doniger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urban
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult