AEGiS-14IAC: Effect of knowledge of partner HIV status on condom use among voluntary counselling and testing clients in Uganda.

14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

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Effect of knowledge of partner HIV status on condom use among voluntary counselling and testing clients in Uganda.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. ThOrD1496)

Tumuhairwe E, Baryarama F, Bunnell R, Mubangizi J, Kalule J, Mermin J, Hitimana-Lukanika C, Ransom R
AIDS Information Centre, Kampala, Uganda

BACKGROUND: The AIDS Information Centre (AIC), has been providing voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) to both individuals and couples since 1990. 75% of couples with at least one HIV-infected member are discordant. Although AIC has been promoting VCT for couples, the majority (77%) of clients still present as individuals. We assessed levels of knowledge of partner HIV status and their association with condom use among first time individual VCT clients.

METHODS: We analysed data from 18,795 first time individual VCT clients on their sexual partners during six months prior to HIV testing including partner type (spouse, steady, casual), condom use and knowledge of partner HIV status. Consistent condom use was defined as "always used condoms with the partner in the last 6 months".

RESULTS: Out of the 18,795 first time testers who tested as individuals, 11,403 (61%) reported having sex within the last 6 months. Of 12,034 partners reported, 60% were spouses, 23% were steady partners and 17% were casual partners. Over 90% of clients had no knowledge of their partners' HIV status. Consistent condom use was 15% but varied by partner type; 4% with spouses, 31% with steady partners and 35% with casual partners. Only 12% of clients who knew their spouses were HIV positive used condoms consistently compared with 3% for those not knowing their partners' status.

CONCLUSIONS: Consistent condom use rates were low even when clients knew that their partners were HIV-infected. Partner type appears more important than partner HIV status in determining condom use. VCT counsellors must stress the importance of couple testing, mutual disclosure of test results, and condom use.

Keywords: AEGIS, Safe Sex, Counseling, Condoms, Sexual Partners, Knowledge, HIV Infections, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Research Design, Uganda, Condoms, Female, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, HIV Seropositivity, HumanKWDaegis,safesex,counseling,condoms,sexualpartners,knowledge,hivinfections,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,researchdesign,uganda,condoms,female,healthknowledge,attitudes,practice,hivseropositivity,human

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ThOrD1496

Copyright © 2002 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.