AEGiS-14IAC: Prevalence of unsafe sex practices among HIV-infected individuals: The Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS).

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Prevalence of unsafe sex practices among HIV-infected individuals: The Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS).

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. ThOrD1449)

Wolf K, Young J, Taffe P, Flepp M, Furrer HJ, Telenti A, Hirschel B, Vernazza P, Bernasconi E, Rickenbach M, Bucher HC
Basel Institute for Clinical Epidemiology, Basel, Switzerland

BACKGROUND: Sexual contact is the major mode of HIV transmission worldwide. Increased sexual risk taking has been reported in HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy.

METHODS: We evaluated the sexual risk behaviour of individuals in the SHCS in relation to antiretroviral therapy (ART), response to therapy, risk group for HIV transmission, age, gender, HIV-status of partner, ethnicity, education and type of partnership (stable or occasional). On 1 April 2000 a questionnaire about safer sex practices was introduced into the SHCS. We included all individuals who completed this questionnaire for the first time during the following year.

RESULTS: On 1 April 2000, 5758 individuals were registered with the SHCS, and 5286 individuals (92%) responded to the questionnaire. The percentage of females, younger individuals, IV drug users, Caucasians and those with a basic education was higher among non-responders than among responders. Overall 14% reported unsafe sex, 73% received ART and 22% had good viral suppression (HIV RNA always < 50 copies/ml during the preceding 12 months). Among those who responded, 55% had stable partners, 20% occasional partners, and 6% both. Of the individuals with stable partners, 82% reported sexual intercourse and of those reporting sexual intercourse, 73% always used condoms. Of the individuals with occasional partners, 98% reported sexual intercourse and of those reporting sexual intercourse, 82% always used condoms. After adjustment for other covariates, reported unsafe sex was not associated with good viral suppression (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.76 - 1.22). Reported unsafe sex was associated with gender, age, ethnicity, HIV-status of partner, having occasional partners, HIV transmission group, living alone and ART, but not with education.

CONCLUSION: There is no evidence that good viral suppression leads to unsafe sex among individuals of the SHCS. However, other factors are associated with unsafe sex.

Keywords: AEGIS, Safe Sex, Prevalence, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Cohort Studies, Sex Behavior, Condoms, Risk-Taking, Substance Abuse, Intravenous, Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active, Human, Female, epidemiology

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ThOrD1449