HIV risk assessment and prevention in lesbians and women who have sex with women: practical information for clinicians.

Clinicians care for lesbians and women sexually active with women (WSWs) routinely in the course of practice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now believe that there are small but significant numbers of lesbians with HIV infection and that woman-to-woman transmission of HIV is possible. Although the risk of HIV transmission between women, although underreported, is probably low, clinicians need a literature-based practical understanding of how to assess WSWs for their HIV risk and counsel them appropriately about prevention of HIV transmission. Understanding sexual behaviors of WSWs the safer sex techniques that are appropriate for them, and the various ways in which lesbians may contract HIV are important to all primary care clinicians. This article also reviews the principles of communicating with lesbians and WSWs.