Sexual behavior, sexually transmitted diseases, male circumcision and risk of HIV infection among women in Nairobi, Kenya
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Date
1994Author
Hunter, D J
Maggwa, B N
Mati, J K
Tukei, P M
Mbugua, S
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
OBJECTIVE:
To study risk factors for HIV infection among women in Nairobi, Kenya, as the epidemic moves beyond high-risk groups.
DESIGN:
A cross-sectional case-control study among women attending two peri-urban family planning clinics.
METHODS:
A total of 4404 women were enrolled after giving written informed consent. Information on risk factors was obtained by interview using a structured questionnaire. Blood was taken for HIV and syphilis testing, and genital specimens for gonorrhea and trichomoniasis screening.
RESULTS:
Two hundred and sixteen women (4.9%; 95% confidence interval, 4.3-5.5) were HIV-1-positive. Although risk of HIV was significantly increased among unmarried women and among women with multiple sex partners, most seropositive women were married and reported only a single sex partner in the last year. Women with a history or current evidence of sexually transmitted disease were at significantly increased risk; however, the prevalence of these exposures was low. Women whose husband or usual sex partner was uncircumcised had a threefold increase in risk of HIV, and this risk was present in almost all strata of potential confounding factors. Only 5.2% of women reported ever having used a condom.
CONCLUSIONS:
These data suggest that, among women who are not in high-risk groups, risk of HIV infection is largely determined by their male partner's behavior and circumcision status. Interventions designed to change male sexual behavior are urgently needed.
URI
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8011242http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/29357
Citation
AIDS. 1994 Jan;8(1):93-9.Collections
- Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) [10387]