Are there predictors for sexual risk behavior in HIV-infected patients?

Abstract

The influence of four coping strategies ("rumination," "search for affiliation," "threat minimization," and "search for information"), four social network dimensions ("affectively positive," "affectively negative," "accepting confidants," and "liking confidants") and sociodemographics on the sexual risk behavior of HIV-infected persons were analyzed in sexual encounters with steady and casual partners. The analysis examines bi- and multivariately the predictors for sexual risk behavior. The study population consisted of 103 asymptomatic HIV-infected persons (80 men, 23 women, mean age 34 years, range 21-69 years) who participated in our prospective study and reported their sexual contacts during the previous 6 months. In sexual encounters with steady partners, the risk of unprotected behavior increased with the frequency of sexual contact. In these encounters, coping strategies and social network had no influence on sexual risk behavior. In sexual contacts with casual partners, the number of contacts with these partners was also of importance. The coping strategy "rumination" correlates significantly with enhanced risk behavior. In sexual contacts with casual partners, there was no correlation between sexual risk behavior and the three other coping strategies or social network. In multivariate analysis, the number of sexual contacts was the only significant predictor for sexual risk behavior with steady partners as well as casual ones. As sexual activity with HIV-infected persons is not absolutely safe, further prevention campaigns have to focus more on the motivation for safe sex, its situational aspects, and partners' responsibility.