Behavior assessment of women attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Vitória, Brazil Práticas comportamentais em mulheres atendidas em clínica de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis em Vitória, Brasil

• Published in: Anais brasileiros de dermatología 2012-04, Vol.87 (2), p.197-202
• Main Authors: Angelica Espinosa Miranda, Bettina Moulin Coelho Lima, Alain Giami, Jonathan E. Golub, Sinesio Talhari
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assunção de riscos; Comportamento reprodutivo; Doenças sexualmente transmissíveis; Fatores de risco; Reproductive Behavior; Risk factors; Risk-taking; Saúde da mulher; Sexually transmitted diseases; Women's health
• ISSN: 0365-0596; 1806-4841
• DOI: 10.1590/S0365-05962012000200002

BACKGROUND: Studies about sexual risk behaviors can provide information to support design strategies to control the spread of HIV infection. OBJECTIVE: To assess sexual risk behaviors among women attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic in Vitória, Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed among women attending an STD/AIDS reference center. Enrolled participants were interviewed and provided a blood sample to determine HIV status. RESULTS: A total of 276 women participated. among 284 selected; 109 (39.5%) were HIV-positive and 167 (60.5%) HIV-negative. Median age was 31 years (interquartile range (IQR)24-36) and 69% of women were between 18 and 34 years of age. Women reported high access to information about STD (87%) and AIDS (90%) but information about sexuality was less common (55%). HIV-positive women asked their partners to use condoms more often than HIV-negatives (31% vs. 5%, p=0.02), and were more likely to have used a condom at last intercourse (65% vs. 33%, p