Factors associated with high-risk behaviors among people newly diagnosed to be infected with HIV through heterosexual contact before and after diagnosis in some areas in Henan province

Abstract

To understand the factors associated with high risk behaviors among people newly diagnosed to be infected with HIV through heterosexual contact before and after diagnoses in some areas in Henan province, and evaluate the risk of secondary transmission. A face to face interview was conducted among people infected with HIV through heterosexual contact by using self-designed questionnaires during January-May in 2015. Among 361 HIV infected persons, the proportions of those with commercial heterosexual behaviors or sex with irregular sex partners decreased from 77.3%(279/361) and 28.5%(103/361) before diagnosis to 13.6%(49/361) and 2.5%(9/361) after diagnosis, the difference was significant (χ(2)=16.66, P<0.001; χ(2)=4.80, P=0.03). The subjects surveyed always had more commercial heterosexual behaviors in Henan, Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces before and after diagnosis. After HIV infection confirmation, the condom use rates were 51.0%(25/49) for commercial heterosexual behaviors, 88.5% (184/208) for sex with regular partners and 88.9%(8/9) for sex with irregular partners, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that risk behaviors associated with HIV transmission included commercial sexual behaviors, previous HIV detection and age of 35 years or older. Extramarital heterosexual behavior has posed serious challenge to the prevention and control of HIV spread. It is necessary to inform the HIV test results, improve the intervention and promote condom use in people with history of commercial sex and people aged ≥35 years.