Changes in sexual behaviour among HIV-infected women in west and east Africa in the first 24 months after delivery.
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Date
2012-05Author
Irungu, E
Chersich, MF
Sanon, C
Chege, R
Gaillard, P
Temmerman, M
Read, JS
Luchters, S
Kesho Bora Study Group
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
OBJECTIVE:
Describe changes in sexual behaviour and determinants of unsafe sex among HIV-infected women in the 24 months after delivery.
DESIGN:
Cohort analysis nested within a prevention of mother-to-child transmission trial in Burkina Faso (n = 339) and Kenya (n = 432).
METHODS:
Women were followed during pregnancy and until 12-24 months after delivery. At each visit, structured questionnaires were administered about sexual activity and condom use, and risk-reduction counselling and condoms were provided.
RESULTS:
At study entry, a median 2 months after HIV testing (interquartile range =1-4), 411/770 (53.4%) of women reported partner disclosure, increasing to 284/392 (71.9%) at the final visit. Although most partners were supportive following disclosure, between 5 and 10% of disclosed women experienced hostile or unsupportive partner responses during follow-up visits. At each visit, about a third of sexually active women reported unsafe sex (unprotected sex with HIV-uninfected or unknown status partner). In multivariable logistic regression, unsafe sex was 1.70-fold more likely in Kenyan than in Burkinabe women [95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.14-2.54], and in those with less advanced HIV disease or aged 16-24 years. Compared with women who disclosed their status to partners and others, unsafe sex was over six-fold higher in nondisclosers (95% CI = 3.31-12.11), the effect size reducing with increasing disclosure.
CONCLUSION:
HIV-infected women who recently delivered have a high potential for further HIV transmission, especially as HIV discordance is common in Africa. Longitudinal care for women, including positive-prevention interventions, is needed within new services providing antiretroviral prophylaxis during breastfeeding - this repeated interface with services could focus on reducing unsafe sex. Much remains unknown about how to facilitate beneficial disclosure.
URI
http://hinari-gw.who.int/whalecomwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/whalecom0/pubmed/22343965http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/32116
Citation
AIDS. 2012 May 15;26(8):997-1007. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e3283524ca1Publisher
University of Nairobi School of medicine,University of Nairobi International Centre for Reproductive Health, Mombasa, Kenya
Collections
- Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) [10378]