Association between Sexual Habits and Sexually Transmitted Infections at a Specialised Centre in Granada (Spain)

Condom Use Beliefs Differ According to Regulatory Focus: A Mixed-Methods Study in Portugal and Spain

Reports worldwide have been showing increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and condomless sex in recent years. Research has identified several individual and situational variables that can determine the decision to use condoms or forgo their use. We argue that such a decision can also be shaped by motives related to pleasure and safety (i.e., regulatory focus in sexuality). Using open ended questions, we asked 742 Portuguese and Spanish adults to indicate situations and reasons that could inform the decision making process with casual partners and the functions/attributes related to condoms. Using thematic analyses, we coded the drivers of condomless sex and condom use into themes and subthemes, and computed their frequencies. Using quantitative measures, we also asked participants to indicate their condom use expectancies and perceived barriers. Comparing participants according to regulatory focus revealed some differences. Pleasure promotion participants were more likely to consider that condom use decision making is driven by unexpectedness, pleasure, and intimacy pursuit, attached more pleasure reduction functions to condoms, expected more negative outcomes in condom use, and endorsed more sensation and partner barriers in condom use. In contrast, disease prevention participants were more likely to consider that condom use decision making is driven by adequate sexual education, responsibility, and behavioral control, and attached more health protective functions to condoms. These differences can inform the development of tailored intervention and awareness campaigns aimed at helping people to use condoms more consistently with casual partners and to avoid behaviors that put them at risk of STI transmission.

Sexual Practices and HIV Risk Perception Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Brazil

Objectives: To investigate sexual practices and HIV risk perception among MSM, identifying associated risk factors and determinants. Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted with 144 MSM in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, using the snowball sampling technique. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling and underwent rapid HIV testing, in addition to completing questionnaires on sexual practices, risk perception, and illicit drug use. Results: The majority of participants showed an unsatisfactory perception of HIV risk. Factors associated with this perception include non-penetrative sex as an HIV preventive measure, which increased the chances of having an unsatisfactory risk perception by 1.45 times (P = .04), engaging with known HIV-positive individuals without knowledge of their viral load (ORa = 2.70; P = .043), and using illicit drugs before/during sex (ORa = 0.29; P = .048). Conclusions: The results indicate a high prevalence of risky sexual practices and an unsatisfactory HIV risk perception among the MSM studied.

Sexual behavioral factors of the subjects visiting the clinic of sexually transmitted infections in Northern Finland: A cross-sectional study among 775 subjects

Background and Aims

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are among the most common infections globally. However, the sexual behavioral factors and sexual history of people visiting STI clinics have only been surveyed in a few studies. We aimed to evaluate the characteristics of the patients visiting the open STI clinic.

Methods

This is a prospective observational study performed in the STI clinic in the premises of Department of Dermatology, Oulu University Hospital. All individuals (n = 775) attending the STI clinic between February and August 2022 were included to the study and the profile of the patients was evaluated.

Results

We found that the majority of the STI clinic attendees (58.5%) were female. Mean age of the study population was 28.9 years, with females being significantly younger than males (p < 0.001). Only one-third (30.6%) of the patients reported having symptoms at the time of attending. Most commonly, patients had had one sex partner in the last 6 months. However, one-fifth (21.7%) reported several sex partners (over four). Almost half of the patients (47.6%) reported using a condom only randomly. Those with heterosexual orientation had fewer multiple-sex partners (p < 0.001) than those with homo- or bisexual orientation (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

It is important to increase knowledge about the profile of STI clinic visitors to effectively target STI prevention on the groups at the highest risk of STIs.

Framing and understanding the whole aspect of oral sex from social and health perspectives: a narrative review

Historically, oral sex is part of human sexual behaviour even though some consider it taboo, and its expression is deemed inappropriate. Human rights also stand out as technology becomes more sophisticated, leading to its practice disclosure in the 21st century. The large-scale oral sex discussion in media encourages people to express it, and there is feedback on whether it is right or not. It all depends on each person’s values. We found this sexual behaviour occurs everywhere regardless of religion, culture and race. Pop culture influences this behaviour considerably. It can be seen in music, movies and television programmes that allude to oral sex. Numerous motivations underlying this behaviour include sexual pleasure for the sake of psychological well-being. It is undeniable that this behaviour is still controversial. There is a risk of it causing disease, but it reportedly provides many benefits. Oral sex is not a new behaviour crossing boundaries, according to our theory. It is an old behaviour that has been highlighted because of the factors that support it. This behaviour, still considered taboo, has its disadvantages, such as sexually transmitted disease and oral cancer, but also has benefits, such as preventing preeclampsia.

Tolerability and Adherence of Antiretroviral Regimens Containing Long-Acting Fusion Inhibitor Albuvirtide for HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis: A Cohort Study in China

INTRODUCTION

There have been no prospective clinical studies investigating adherence and tolerability of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in China. Tolerability, adherence, and transmitted drug resistance are concerns, especially when single-tablet regimen (STR) usage is low. The present study aimed to explore the safety, tolerability, and adherence of regimens containing albuvirtide (ABT) compared with recommended non-STR antiretrovirals for HIV PEP.

METHODS

This was a prospective, open-label, multicenter cohort study. The subjects were stratified into 3 groups based on their preference: ABT + Dolutegravir (DTG) (Group 1), ABT + Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) + Lamivudine (3TC) (Group 2), and DTG + TDF + 3TC (Group 3). All enrolled subjects received PEP within 72 h after exposure and continued for 28 days, and were followed-up for 12 weeks.

RESULTS

A total of 330 participants were enrolled in the three groups. Most participants were male (87.2%). Sexual contact was the most frequent mode of exposure (91.9%). The average time from exposure to treatment was 26.8 ± 19.5 h. There were no statistically significant differences between the three study groups with respect to completion of oral medication at 28 days. The 28-day completion rate was shown to be significantly higher with ABT versus oral (88.9% vs. 64.0%; p < 0.0001), and adherence with ABT was 94.4% compared to 75.7% with oral PEP (p < 0.0001). Subjects in ABT-containing Group 1 exhibited higher adherence than those in Group 3 (87.3% vs. 72.9%; p < 0.05). None of the participants reported serious adverse drug reactions which led to withdrawal from the study. All the drug regimens were found to be safe and well tolerated. No HIV incident case was observed during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

ABT-containing regimens (ABT + DTG or ABT + TDF + 3TC) offer a good option for HIV PEP due to higher completion rates and adherence than the DTG + TDF + 3TC regimen. The overall safety was comparable and acceptable among the three groups.

REGISTRATION

The study was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry with registration number (ChiCTR1900022881, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=37395 ).

Acute hepatitis due to the hepatitisC virus: Where are the transmission occurring?

OBJECTIVE

To know the transmission patterns of the acute infection by the hepatitisC virus at a time when we are close to its elimination.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective descriptive clinical-epidemiological study of cases of acute HCV infection diagnosed between 2016 and 2020 was carried out in a reference hospital in the island of Gran Canaria.

RESULTS

Twenty-two cases of acute HCV were diagnosed (10 primary infections and 12 reinfections). There was an increase in the incidence from 0.6 in 2016 and 2017 to 2.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2020. The median age was 46years. From these, 77.3% were men and 68.2% were HIV-positive. According to the risk factors, 54.5% had high-risk sexual practices, 83.3% were men who had sex with men (70% with a concomitant STI), 31.8% were drug users, 9.1% were women with neuropsychiatric disorders, and one woman (4.5%) had a previous surgical intervention. There were thirteen patients (40.9%) who presented symptoms and eleven out of the thirteen patients who were asymptomatic were HIV-positive.

CONCLUSIONS

An increase in incidence was observed in the last years of the study and the main route of infection was high-risk sexual practice, mainly in men who have sex with men and who are HIV positive. Cases related to unsafe sex in other non-HIV groups are probably under-diagnosed. Microelimination strategies may not be sufficient to diagnose these cases, so in order to achieve elimination of the HCV the best strategy would be a population-based screening.