BACKGROUND: This study examined 2 issues of current importance for AIDS prevention in Uganda: the frequency of multiple sexual partnerships and whether optimistic perceptions about the severity of AIDS are associated with riskier sexual behavior. METHODS: Four hundred five men and women aged 20-39 from 2 poor neighborhoods of Kampala were interviewed about their sexual behavior over the prior 6 months and about other partners during current relationships. They also completed a 7-item scale measuring perception of the severity of HIV/AIDS. RESULTS: About 21.2% of men and 2.9% of women reported ongoing concurrent partnerships; 28.8% and 6.8% reported more than 1 partner in the past 6 months. About 22.2% of men and 32.4% of women believed their partner had had other partners during the relationship. Overall, 56.1% of men and 57.0% of women reported potentially being involved in a multiple or concurrent partnership. Respondents rating AIDS as more severe were more likely to be monogamous. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple sexual partnerships may be more common in Uganda than generally supposed, and optimism about the severity of AIDS is associated with having multiple partners. These findings have important implications for HIV/AIDS epidemiology and prevention.
BACKGROUND: This study examined 2 issues of current importance for AIDS prevention in Uganda: the frequency of multiple sexual partnerships and whether optimistic perceptions about the severity of AIDS are associated with riskier sexual behavior. METHODS: Four hundred five men and women aged 20-39 from 2 poor neighborhoods of Kampala were interviewed about their sexual behavior over the prior 6 months and about other partners during current relationships. They also completed a 7-item scale measuring perception of the severity of HIV/AIDS. RESULTS: About 21.2% of men and 2.9% of women reported ongoing concurrent partnerships; 28.8% and 6.8% reported more than 1 partner in the past 6 months. About 22.2% of men and 32.4% of women believed their partner had had other partners during the relationship. Overall, 56.1% of men and 57.0% of women reported potentially being involved in a multiple or concurrent partnership. Respondents rating AIDS as more severe were more likely to be monogamous. CONCLUSIONS:Multiple sexual partnerships may be more common in Uganda than generally supposed, and optimism about the severity of AIDS is associated with having multiple partners. These findings have important implications for HIV/AIDS epidemiology and prevention.
Authors: Fred Nalugoda; David Guwatudde; John B Bwaninka; Fredrick E Makumbi; Tom Lutalo; Joseph Kagaayi; Nelson K Sewankambo; Godfrey Kigozi; David M Serwadda; Xiangrong Kong; Maria J Wawer; Fred Wabwire-Mangen; Ronald H Gray Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Date: 2014-01-01 Impact factor: 3.731
Authors: Melonie M Walcott; Ellen Funkhouser; Maung Aung; Mirjam C Kempf; John Ehiri; Kui Zhang; Marion Bakhoya; Deborah Hickman; Pauline E Jolly Journal: Sex Health Date: 2014-03 Impact factor: 2.706
Authors: Patric Lundberg; Noeline Nakasujja; Seggane Musisi; Anna Ekéus Thorson; Elizabeth Cantor-Graae; Peter Allebeck Journal: Int J Ment Health Syst Date: 2013-07-17