Do women use dental dams? Safer sex practices of lesbians and other women who have sex with women

Richters, Juliet; Prestage, Garrett; Schneider, Karen; Clayton, Stevie

doi:10.1071/sh09072

Cited by 36 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 6 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Interestingly, there were no definable characteristics associated with avoidance of barrier use in the present study. Sexual risk taking among WSW has been reported [17]; the present data both confirm this finding and provide an important addition by assessing differential use of barriers with certain sexual activities and in certain sexual contexts.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…There have been many studies assessing the risk of STIs among WSW, including assessment of barrier protection methods [14–19]. However, most of these studies involved focus groups [14,15] and/or surveys assessing the use of a specific barrier method, or STIs with no consideration of barrier use [16–19]. We are unaware of any large‐scale surveys involving a large number of WSW and including details of different barrier protection for specific sexual activities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Use of barrier protection for sexual activity among women who have sex with women

Rowen

Breyer

Lin

et al. 2012

Intl J Gynecology & Obste

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective To assess the frequency and associations of barrier protection use during sexual activity in a population of women who have sex with women (WSW). Methods WSW were invited to participate in an international internet-based survey. Information regarding ethnodemographics, sexual health, and barrier use during sexual activities was collected. Results The study cohort comprised 1557 participants. Barrier use was least prevalent during digital genital stimulation (11.3% ever used barriers) and most prevalent during stimulation with a sex toy (34.4% ever used barriers). Univariate analysis revealed that women in non-monogamous relationships were more likely than monogamous women to always use barrier protection for sexual activity (14.3% vs 3.5%). On multivariate analysis, there was no association between barrier use and frequency of casual sexual activity or history of sexually transmitted infection. Small associations were noted between barrier use and certain sexual activities, age, race, and number of partners. Conclusion Many WSW do not use barrier protection during sexual activity, even in the context of potentially risky sexual behaviors. Safer-sex practices among WSW merit increased attention from healthcare providers and public health researchers.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of barrier protection for sexual activity among women who have sex with women

Rowen

Breyer

Lin

et al. 2012

Intl J Gynecology & Obste

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Our findings furthermore suggest the need for research that addresses WSW’s awareness of HIV and STI risk and their engagement in sexual risk practices; few studies [12], [50] have done so thus far, while some studies have shown that adoption of safer sex practices among WSW is rare (e.g., [51]). In addition, we need to understand how accurate, appropriate and complete counseling could be provided to WSW living with HIV in order to prevent transmission to other female sex partners.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Forced Sexual Experiences as Risk Factor for Self-Reported HIV Infection among Southern African Lesbian and Bisexual Women

Sandfort

Baumann²,

Matebeni

et al. 2013

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Even though women who have sex with women are usually understood to be at no or very low risk for HIV infection, we explored whether lesbian and bisexual women in a geographical area with high HIV prevalence (Southern Africa) get tested for HIV and whether, among those women who get tested, there are women who live with HIV/AIDS. The study was conducted in collaboration with community-based organizations in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Data were collected via written surveys of women who in the preceding year had had sex with a woman (18 years and older; N = 591). Most participating women identified as lesbian and black. Almost half of the women (47.2%) reported ever having had consensual heterosexual sex. Engagement in transactional sex (lifetime) was reported by 18.6% of all women. Forced sex by men or women was reported by 31.1% of all women. A large proportion of the women reported to ever have been tested for HIV (78.3%); number of lifetime female and male partners was independently associated with having been tested; women who had engaged in transactional sex with women only or with women and men were less likely to have been tested. Self-reported HIV prevalence among tested women who knew their serostatus was 9.6%. Besides age, the sole independent predictor of a positive serostatus was having experienced forced sex by men, by women, or by both men and women. Study findings indicate that despite the image of invulnerability, HIV/AIDS is a reality for lesbian and bisexual women in Southern Africa. Surprisingly, it is not sex with men per se, but rather forced sex that is the important risk factor for self-reported HIV infection among the participating women. HIV/AIDS policy should also address the needs of lesbian, bisexual and other women who have sex with women.

show abstract

“…While relying on trust to determine the extent to which safer sex is practiced is not specific to sexual minority women, women in this study reported that their women partners were seen as safer partners because they trusted them to take care their own health, protect them from risk, and to disclose histories of prior or current infections [45]. Previous studies of sexual minority women have also noted that women generally trust their women partners and as such do not perceive the need to practice safer sex [40, 46, 47]. Together, these studies suggest the need for sexual minority relevant health education that focuses specifically on safer sex practices with women partners, including partner communication.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual Health in a Social and Cultural Context: a Qualitative Study of Young Latina Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Women

Santos

Williams

Rodriguez

et al. 2017

J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Previous research on sexual minority and Latina women suggests that Latina lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women may be at high risk for sexually associated and transmitted infections, but research on the sexual health and practices of this population is limited. This qualitative study explored the knowledge, attitudes, and values related to sexual health among a purposive sample of Latina LBQ women living in Seattle, WA. Latina LBQ women (N = 14) were recruited to participate in in-depth interviews about their sexual health through community organizations, flyers posted on college campuses, email and social media advertisements, and participant referrals. In-person semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed; transcripts were coded by two independent coders and reviewed for prominent themes. Four main themes emerged: 1) Latina sexual minorities’ sexual health is shaped by their social and cultural context, 2) they lack needed sexual health knowledge, 3) their sexual health behaviors vary depending on the relationship status and gender of their partners, and 4) they value taking responsibility for their own sexual health. Further research is needed to better understand sexual health among Latina LBQ women and to identify ways in which their values can be leveraged to promote positive sexual health outcomes.

show abstract

Do women use dental dams? Safer sex practices of lesbians and other women who have sex with women

Cited by 36 publications

References 6 publications

Use of barrier protection for sexual activity among women who have sex with women

Use of barrier protection for sexual activity among women who have sex with women

Forced Sexual Experiences as Risk Factor for Self-Reported HIV Infection among Southern African Lesbian and Bisexual Women

Sexual Health in a Social and Cultural Context: a Qualitative Study of Young Latina Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Women

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About