title: Sexual behaviour of women in rural South Africa: a descriptive study.
abstract: Sexual behaviour is a core determinant of the HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) epidemics in women living in rural South Africa. Knowledge of sexual behaviour in these areas is limited, but constitutes essential information for a combination prevention approach of behavioural change and biomedical interventions.
  
  
  
  This descriptive study was conducted in rural Mopani District, South Africa, as part of a larger study on STI. Women of reproductive age (18-49 years) who reported sexual activity were included regardless of the reason for visiting the facility. Questionnaires were administered to 570 women. We report sexual behaviour by age group, ethnic group and self-reported HIV status.
  
  
  
  Young women (<25 years) were more likely to visit bars, practice fellatio, have concurrent sexual partners and report a circumcised partner than older women (>34 years); there was no difference for condom use during last sex act (36 % overall). Sotho women were more likely to report concurrent sexual partners whereas Shangaan women reported more frequent intravaginal cleansing and vaginal scarring practice in our analysis. HIV-infected women were older, had a higher number of lifetime sexual partners, reported more frequent condom use during the last sex act and were more likely to have a known HIV-infected partner than women without HIV infection; hormonal contraceptive use, fellatio, and a circumcised partner were less often reported.
  
  
  
  This study provides insight into women's sexual behaviour in a rural South African region. There are important differences in sexual behaviour by age group and ethnicity and HIV status; these should be taken into account when designing tailor-made prevention packages.
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Tzaneen, South Africa.|Institute for Public Health Genomics (IPHG), Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Research School GROW (School for Oncology & Developmental Biology), Faculty of Health, Medicine & Life Sciences, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Microbiology & Infection Control, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan Henk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Dubbink
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Tzaneen, South Africa.|Department of Medical Microbiology & Infection Control, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lisette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van der Eem
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Tzaneen, South Africa.|School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Tzaneen, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nontembeko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mbambazela
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Tzaneen, South Africa.
authors.forename: Geoffrey A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Jobson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology & Infection Control, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sander
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ouburg
authors.affiliation: Institute for Public Health Genomics (IPHG), Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Research School GROW (School for Oncology & Developmental Biology), Faculty of Health, Medicine & Life Sciences, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Microbiology & Infection Control, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Servaas A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Morre
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Tzaneen, South Africa.|Division of Infectious Diseases & HIV Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Helen E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Struthers
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg, Tzaneen, South Africa. rph.peters@gmail.com.|Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. rph.peters@gmail.com.|Department of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands. rph.peters@gmail.com.|Anova Health Institute, PostNet Suite 242, Private Bag X30500, 2041, Houghton, Johannesburg, South Africa. rph.peters@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Remco P H
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age; Ethnic group; HIV; Rural; Sexual behaviour; South Africa; Women