Abstract 66 Sexual behaviour is an important risk factor for HPV associated cancers, which include nearly all cervical cancers, most anal cancers, and many oropharyngeal, vaginal, vulvar and penile cancers. However, in studies assessing risk of sexual behaviour and disease in low and middle income countries, there are often questions about the validity of self-reported sexual behaviour. In this study, we evaluate the reliability of self-reported sexual history among participants in a cervical cancer and HPV study in Nigeria. We studied 720 participants in a prospective cohort. We collected general sexuality and specific sexual practices information at study entry and administered the same questions at follow up after a mean period of 8.6 months. To assess reliability, we used the root mean squared approach to calculate within-person coefficient of variation(CVw) and calculated the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) using a two way, mixed effects model (continuous variables) and κ statistics (discrete variables). Of the 720 participants, 48.1% were HIV+, 49.2% were HIV- and 2.8% were unaware of their status. Agreement was higher for HIV- women than HIV+ women. Agreement for ever engaged in oral sex was moderate for HIV- women (κ = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.49 – 0.70) and fair for HIV+ women (κ = 0.37, 95%CI = 0.24 – 0.54). Similarly, agreement for ever engaging in anal sex was good among HIV- women (κ = 0.61, 95%CI = 0.10 – 0.83) and poor among HIV+ women (κ = 0.19, 95%CI = 0.10 – 0.60). Overall, the within person variability for age at sexual debut for vaginal sex (CVw =10.7, 95%CI = 10.6 – 10.7) and oral sex (CVw= 11.5, 95%CI = 11.5 – 11.6) was low. In contrast, the variability was much higher for lifetime number of partners for vaginal sex (CVw =35.2, 95% CI = 35.1 – 35.3) and oral sex (CVw = 34.0, 95%CI = 34.0– 34.1). We found report of sexual behaviour was more reliable among HIV- women than HIV+ women, and self-report of ever engaged in a sexual practice and age at initiation were more reliable than reports of frequency or number of partners. AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: No COIs from the authors.
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