Abstract
We assessed risk of transmission among 4,016 HIV-infected patients in primary care, including men who have sex with men (MSM, n = 2,109), women (n = 1,104) and men who had sex with women (MSW, n = 803) in clinics in 15 cities across the U.S. A transmission risk act, assessed by computer assisted interviews, was defined as unprotected vaginal or anal sex with a partner who was HIV-uninfected or of unknown HIV status. MSM were more than twice as likely to report transmission risk acts than MSW (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.35; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.84, 3.00; P ≤ .001). Women were also more likely to report transmission risk acts than MSW (OR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.19, 2.05; P ≤ .001). Stimulant use was associated with transmission risk in all three groups (P ≤ .05). MSM were more likely to use methamphetamines (8% versus 2% and 3% respectively), while MSW (17%) and women (12%, compared to 11% for MSM) were more likely to use cocaine. Clinical settings offer opportunities for preventing HIV transmission, particularly if interventions are tailored to sub-populations of HIV-infected patients.
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This publication is supported by grant number H97HA00261 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) Program. The publication's contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of HRSA or the SPNS program.
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Morin, S.F., Myers, J.J., Shade, S.B. et al. Predicting HIV Transmission Risk among HIV-Infected Patients Seen in Clinical Settings. AIDS Behav 11 (Suppl 1), 6–16 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9253-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9253-4