Sexual Behaviors of HIV/AIDS Patients in Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute

Abstract

The main objectives of this routine to research were to assess HIV/AIDS patients' sexual behaviors who received service at Outpatient of Medicine, Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute and to analyze the relationship between their demographic data and sexual behaviors. The study focused on 482 HIV/AIDS patients attending the outpatient of medicine of the Institute. The questionnaires were used to collect data by interviewed patients at the routine service. The result showed that 77.1% of HIV/AIDS patients had HIV infected by unsafe sex. Their mean CD4 was 356 cells/mm3. Most of them had CD4 > 350 cells/mm3 (46.3%) and had Viral Load < 50 Copies/mm3 (87.8%). About 59.5% of HIV/AIDS patients were sexually active. In term of family planning method, it was found that 73.4% of them used only one method, of which 77.1% use condom and 13.3% were sterilized. In addition, the condom use rate at last sexual intercourse was 90.2% with causal partner, 85.1% with steady partner and 80.8% with sex workers. However, There was significantly relationship between using condom and disclosure their HIV status at Pvalue 0.028. The study found many factors that caused prevention of HIV transmission including HIV disclosure, patients' awareness of prevention of HIV transmitted and system of service. Therefore, the health care setting needs to improve the quality of services such screening for risk behaviors, promote condom usage, HIV disclosure, and enhancing drug adherence. Family planning counseling was the other aspect which needed to be strengthened in order to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS. The most important of prevention HIV transmission was how to empower PLHA awareness of self esteem and self care by themselves.