Sexual behaviors among women living with HIV in Ontario,Canada |
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| Authors: | Samantha Robinson Sandra Gardner Mona Loutfy Lucia Light Wangari Tharao Sean B Rourke |
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| Institution: | 1. The Ontario HIV Treatment Network, Toronto, ON, Canada;2. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada;3. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada;4. Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada;5. Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON;6. Women’s Health in Women’s Hands, Community Health Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada;7. Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada;8. Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada |
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| Abstract: | Understanding the sexual activities and partnerships of women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains important to promote healthy sexuality and to reduce the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. We described sexual behaviors of women living with HIV enrolled in an ongoing study in Ontario, Canada. Data were available from 582 women who self-completed a sexual behavior questionnaire between 2010 and 2012. Nearly half (46.1%) of women reported a sexual partner in the preceding three months; women less likely to be sexually active were older, Black/African, separated, divorced, widowed, single, and unemployed. Most sexually active women had one partner (76.4%), a regular partner (75.9%), male (96.2%) partner(s), and partners who were HIV-negative or unknown HIV status (75.2%). Women were more likely to use a condom with HIV-negative/status unknown partners (81.3%) than with HIV-positive partners (58.6%; p ?=?.008). Only 8.0% of sexually active women reported condomless sex with a discordant HIV-negative/status unknown partner when their viral load was detectable. Overall, most women living with HIV were sexually inactive or engaged in sexual activities that were low risk for HIV transmission. |
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| Keywords: | Women HIV sex partners sexual behavior condoms |
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