Research Article: Sexual behaviours and correlates of condom use among HIV-discordant couples from eastern China: a cross-sectional study
Abstract:
Objectives To investigate sexual behaviours among HIV-discordant heterosexual couples and assess the correlates of condom use at the couple level. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Seven prefectures along the Yangtze River in the Anhui Province, China. Participants We included 412 participants aged 18 years or older (206 married HIV-discordant couples). Primary and secondary outcome measures In this study, sexual behaviours included marital or extramarital sex in the past 6?months, as well as the frequency of marital sex and condom use (always, sometimes or never) if having marital sex in the past 6?months. We used stepwise ordinal logistic regression modelling to determine the correlates of condom use. Results In total, 63.1% (130 of 206) of couples had marital sex in the past 6?months, of which 89.2% (116 of 130) used condoms consistently. Couples with more marital duration (OR=1.15; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.28) were more inclined to adhere to condom use, whereas those lacking support and care (OR=0.25; 95%?CI: 0.07, 0.94) and being remarried (OR=0.08; 95%?CI: 0.02, 0.43) were associated with less condom use. In addition, HIV-positive respondents were more likely to have extramarital sex than HIV-negative respondents (p=0.015). Conclusions The extramarital sex of HIV-positive spouses should be considered. Implementation of interventions, such as increasing support and care between spouses to promote marital intimacy and stability, could reduce unprotected sexual behaviour.
Introduction:
Sexual contact is now the predominant route for HIV transmission in China, with 73.7% and 23.0% of newly diagnosed people living with HIV (PLWH) infected via heterosexual and homosexual transmission in 2019, respectively. 1 HIV-discordant couples, defined as one HIV positive and the other HIV negative, account for approximately 25% of heterosexual HIV transmission in China. 2 HIV-negative spouses have become a high-risk population for HIV infection owing to frequent unprotected sexual intercourse with their…
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