Behavioral changes associated with testing HIV-positive among sexually transmitted infection clinic patients in Cape Town, South Africa.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to examine behavioral risks and behavior changes associated with testing HIV-positive among sexually transmitted infection (STI) patients, in order to inform HIV- and STI-prevention interventions.


METHODS
We performed a cohort study of 29 STI patients who seroconverted from HIV-negative to HIV-positive during 1 year of observation and 77 STI patients who persistently tested HIV-negative. Computerized behavioral interviews were collected at baseline and at 1 year, and STI clinic charts were abstracted over the same 1-year period.


RESULTS
The STI patients who reported genital bleeding during sexual activity at baseline were significantly more likely to test HIV-positive. Reductions in number of sexual partners and rates of unprotected intercourse occurred for all STI clinic patients regardless of whether they tested HIV-positive.


CONCLUSIONS
Although risk reductions occurred, 5% of HIV-negative STI clinic patients subsequently tested HIV-positive over 1 year. Behavioral risk-reduction interventions are urgently needed for male and female STI clinic patients.
Kalichman
Seth C
SC
Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. seth.k@uconn.edu
Cain
Demetria
D
Simbayi
Leickness C
LC
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology