Sexual behaviour among persons living with HIV/AIDS in Kampala, Uganda.
OBJECTIVE
To identify sexual behaviour and reproductive health needs of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs).


METHODS
A cross sectional study.


METHODS
Joint Clinical Research Centre, Kampala Uganda.


METHODS
Three hundred and eighty PLWHAs, 50% of whom had initiated anti-retro viral therapy (ART).


METHODS
PLWHAs answered questions regarding sexual behaviour, number and type of sexual partners, symptoms of sexually transmitted infections, having been pregnant or causing a pregnancy, social demographic characteristics, consumption of alcohol, having biological children, desire for more children and use of condoms.


RESULTS
In the past 12 months 227 (60%) of the PLWHAs were sexually active. Of the sexually active 42 (19%) never used a condom, and 92 (40%) used condoms inconsistently, thus 134 (35%) of PLWHAs engaged in high risk sex. Two hundred and sixty five (70%) said that PLWHAs can have healthy children and 115 (30%) desired more children with 21 (10%) of the women in the reproductive age group reporting a pregnancy and 22 (17%) of the men reporting having caused a pregnancy. Only three (7%) of the pregnancies were unplanned. Desire for more children was a strong independent predictor of engaging in high risk sex (Adjusted Odds Ratio 2.44, 95% CI 1.35-4.42).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that abstinence and use of condoms on their own may not be enough for HIV prevention among PLWHAs who desire children. Additional methods such as use of ART to reduce HIV infectiousness and sperm washing are needed.
Joint Clinical Research Centre, Makerere University School of Public Health, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
D
D
Tumukunde
F
F
Nuwaha
E
E
Ekirapa
C
C
Kityo
F
F
Ssali
P
P
Mugyenyi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014454:Uganda; D055815:Young Adult