Behavioral Changes Associated With Testing HIV-Positive Among Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic Patients In Cape Town, South Africa

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 100; no. 4; pp. 714 - 719
• Main Authors: Kalichman, Seth C, Cain, Demetria, Simbayi, Leickness C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Am Public Health Assoc 01.04.2010; American Public Health Association
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adult; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcohol use; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Clinics; Condoms; Counseling; Disease transmission; Drug use; Female; General aspects; HIV; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV Seropositivity - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Intervention; Male; Medical sciences; Medical tests; Mens health; Miscellaneous; Prevention and actions; Primary care; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Research and Practice; Risk factors; Risk Reduction Behavior; Safe Sex - psychology; Safe Sex - statistics & numerical data; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexual Partners; Sexually transmitted diseases; South Africa - epidemiology; STD; Studies; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; South Africa; Africa; Human; Immunopathology; Urban environment; Patient; AIDS; Change; Medical screening; Immune deficiency; Infection; Clinic; Association; Sexually transmitted disease; Town; Viral disease; Behavior; Public health
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.162602

We sought to examine behavioral risks and behavior changes associated with testing HIV-positive among sexually transmitted infection (STI) patients, in order to inform HIV- and STI-prevention interventions. We performed a cohort study of 29 STI patients who seroconverted from HIV-negative to HIV-positive during 1 year of observation and 77 STI patients who persistently tested HIV-negative. Computerized behavioral interviews were collected at baseline and at 1 year, and STI clinic charts were abstracted over the same 1-year period. The STI patients who reported genital bleeding during sexual activity at baseline were significantly more likely to test HIV-positive. Reductions in number of sexual partners and rates of unprotected intercourse occurred for all STI clinic patients regardless of whether they tested HIV-positive. Although risk reductions occurred, 5% of HIV-negative STI clinic patients subsequently tested HIV-positive over 1 year. Behavioral risk-reduction interventions are urgently needed for male and female STI clinic patients.