5th International AIDS Conference


Montreal, Quebec, Canada — Jun 4-9, 1989

Print this Article


Safe and unsafe sexual practices among homosexual men, and the risk of HIV infection.

Int Conf AIDS 1989 Jun 4-9; 5:172 (abstract no. A.570)
Messiah A, Bucquet D, Rouzioux C, Mettetal JF; INSERM, Hopital Necker, Paris, France

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of HIV infection among homosexual men, with regard to safe and unsafe sexual practices.

METHODS: Cross-sectional study among 300 homosexual outpatients of general practitioners and venerologists of the Paris area. The subjects were of unknown or of previously negative serological status. Before being tested, they were asked to fill a self-administered questionnaire, which focused on frequencies of protected and unprotected sexual practices; for protected ones, the frequency of lubricant use was asked, since oily-based lubricants might have damaged the condom. To adjust for previously established risk factors, i.e. promiscuity and unprotected anal receptive intercourse, the comparisons were made using the Mantel-Haenszel procedure. Significant variables were then tested using a logistic regression.

RESULTS: Practices associated with seropositivity were: protected anal receptive intercourse with lubricant (base unspecified); receptive anno-oral sex; and rectal douching after sex. Practices not associated with seropositivity were: insertive and receptive genito-oral sex; protected anal receptive intercourse without lubricant. Forty percent of the subjects used oily-based lubricants.

CONCLUSION: Reducing promiscuity and unprotected anal intercourse would not seem to achieve total prevention of infection. The use of oily-based lubricants with condoms and rectal douching after sex should be avoided.

Keywords: AEGIS, Homosexuality, HIV Infections, Sex Behavior, Condoms, Risk Factors, Lubrication, Cross-Sectional Studies, Logistic Models, Safe Sex, Paris, Human, Male, ICA5KWDaegis,homosexuality,hivinfections,sexbehavior,condoms,riskfactors,lubrication,cross-sectionalstudies,logisticmodels,safesex,paris,human,male,ica5

890604
A570

Copyright © 1989 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.