title: Sexual behaviour and HIV sero-discordance among HIV patients receiving HAART in rural Uganda.
abstract: Globally, HIV sero-discordance is a major public health problem, due to increased risk of HIV transmission to HIV-negative partners. From January to August 2009, we assessed the sexual behaviour of HIV-infected patients attending an HIV treatment centre in Uganda and analysed characteristics associated with HIV sero-discordance. Of the 278 respondents, 256 (92.1%) were female, 218 (78.1%) were on antiretroviral drugs and 107 (38.7%) belonged to a sero-discordant couple. In the prior 3 months, 238 (88.5%) had more than one sexual partner and 98 (35.8%) had acquired new sexual partners. Only 171 (61.5%) had ever disclosed sero-status to main sexual partners. Participants who had changed sexual partners in the previous 3 months were more likely to be sero-discordant (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.13, 3.11). Respondents who used condoms during their last sexual intercourse and those currently on ARVs were significantly less likely to be sero-discordant (OR 0.52 95% CI 0.28, 0.96 and OR 0.52 95% CI 0.30, 0.94, respectively). Only disclosure of sero-status was independently though inversely associated with discordance (adjusted OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.20, 0.64). Our findings indicate that HIV patients continue exhibiting high risk behaviour characterised by changing sexual partners, having multiple sexual partners and non-use of condoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kabale Regional Hospital, Kabale, Uganda.
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Osinde
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kakaire
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014454:Uganda; D055815:Young Adult