title: Sexual risk behaviour among HIV-positive persons in Kumasi, Ghana.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence and predictors of sexual risk behaviours among HIV-positive individuals in clinical care in Kumasi, Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey of 267 (43 males and 224 females) HIV-positive individuals attending Kumasi South Regional Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to asses demographic and health characteristics, HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs and sexual risk behaviours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-four percent of the sample reported having sex after testing positive for HIV. Of the 175 participants with regular sex partners, 24% had HIV-positive partners. Majority (67%) had HIV-negative partners (serodiscordant couples) or partners of unknown status. More than half (51%) of the study population with regular sex partners reported that they had unprotected anal or vaginal sex. Participants who scored < 50% on the HIV/AIDS knowledge scale were 90% less likely to have used condoms during their last sexual intercourse. Disclosure of HIV status was associated with protective patterns of condom use (OR=2.2; 95% CI: 1.3-12.9). Participants on ARV were 80% less likely to have used condoms during the last sexual intercourse (OR=0.2; 95% CI: 0.04-0.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high rates of sexual risk behaviour among HIV-positive individuals in this sample place others at risk of HIV infection. It also places these HIV positive individuals at risk for infection with sexually transmitted infections and super-infection with other HIV strains. These findings highlight the need to integrate HIV prevention in routine medical care in Ghana.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Ncube
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akunna
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Babatunde
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nyarko
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Yatich
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turpin
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Jolly
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents