title: Obstetrician-gynecologists' beliefs about safe-sex and abstinence counseling.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine obstetrician-gynecologists' beliefs about safe-sex and abstinence counseling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 2008 and January 2009, a survey was mailed to a national randomized sample of 1800 practicing US obstetrician-gynecologists. Study variables were agreement with 2 statements. (1) "If physicians counsel patients about safe-sex practices, the patients will be less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors". (2) "If physicians counsel patients about abstinence, the patients will be much less likely to engage in sexual activity". Covariates included demographic, clinical, and religious characteristics of the physician.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 66% (1154/1760 eligible physicians). Most respondents somewhat (62%) or strongly (25%) agreed that counseling patients about safe-sex practices makes patients less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors. Fewer agreed strongly (3%) or somewhat (28%) that counseling patients about abstinence makes patients less likely to engage in sexual activity. The belief that safe-sex counseling reduces risky behaviors was less common among males (odds ratio [OR] 0.6) and more common among immigrants (OR 2.0). Religious physicians were more likely to believe that abstinence counseling reduces sexual activity (OR 2.2-5.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most obstetrician-gynecologists believed that counseling about safe sex is effective, and a significant minority endorsed abstinence counseling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA. rlawrence@uchicago.edu
authors.forename: Ryan E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Rasinski
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Farr A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Curlin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D037001:Directive Counseling; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009774:Obstetrics; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000523:psychology*; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000523:psychology*