Sexual Risk Behaviours among Patients Living with HIV/AIDS in Douala in 2012

ABSTRACT

Introduction:The establishment of a positive HIV serologic status of an individual could have been an inhibitory factor to prevent risk behaviours in people living with HIV/AIDS. We conducted a cross-sectional study in order to assess the prevalence and predictors of risk behaviors among HIV-positive people in Douala-Cameroon. Method: We used pre-checked questionnaires to systematically collect data from four HIV Treatment centers inDouala. This was done to some of them during the distribution of drugs; and to others during their classical rendezvous; between the months of May and July 2012. The Chi-Square and Student t-test were used forcross tabulation of variables; multiple regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of risky sexual behaviours. Result: Of the 330 persons interviewed. Sixty percent were reported to have had sexual intercourse after the diagnosis of HIV. We obtained 37 HIV-positive partners and 63 had HIV-negative partners or partners with unknown status. Among our patients; 45 of the subjects with regular partners reported to have had anal or vaginal sex. Those; whose score on the knowledge about HIV / AIDS was 50 and where 90 of them were less susceptible to the condom during intercourse (p 0.01). About 74 of patient on ARV were less susceptible to the use of condom during sexual inter course (p 0.03)Conclusion:Risk sexual behaviours among people living with HIV/AIDS are common and potentially expose their partners. For HIV-positive partners these habits pose a real risk of suprainfection by other strains of HIV. The need to increase awareness and education among people living with HIV is therefore highly recommended