ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study was done to compare risk factors for HIV/STDs in women who reported having had sex with both men and women and women who reported having had sex with men only. METHODS: Female participants in a multisite, randomized HIV/STD prevention study in the Seattle area reported both having had sex with a man in the 3 months before and having at least 1 risk factor for HIV/STDs during the year before the study. Of these women, 38% who reported ever having had sex with a woman were compared with those who reported having had sex with men only. RESULTS: Women who had had sex with both men and women were more likely than women who had had sex with men only to report drug use in the 3 months before the study, a greater lifetime number of male partners, a sex partner who had had sex with a prostitute, an earlier age at sexual debut, and forced sexual contact (P < .01 for all comparisons). Women who had had sex with both men and women had a mean of 3.2 of these 5 risk factors, vs 2.1 among women who had had sex with men only (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Women who had had sex with both men and women were more likely than women who had had sex with men only to engage in multiple risk behaviors. Health workers should be aware of bisexual experience among women, since this may be a marker for multiple risk behaviors for HIV/STDs.
Subject(s)
Bisexuality/statistics & numerical data , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Heterosexuality/statistics & numerical data , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology , Substance-Related Disorders/complications , Adult , Analysis of Variance , Condoms , Female , HIV Infections/prevention & control , Humans , Risk , Risk-Taking , Sexual Partners , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/prevention & control , Substance Abuse, Intravenous , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The authors describe an innovative method for teaching dental professionals to differentially diagnose and treat HIV-related oral lesions. The method included a half day of didactic presentations and a half day of clinical grand rounds. The clinical grand rounds featured clinical stations where small groups of practitioners observed HIV oral manifestations and interacted with patients. Their observations were discussed with two dentists expert in diagnosing and managing oral complications of HIV. Videotapes of the patients' oral lesions augmented the discussions.
