HIV infection and high-risk behaviours in a Paraguayan military population

Abstract

Between July 2005 and January 2006 we evaluated 1248 Paraguayan active duty military volunteers. Participants provided a blood sample for HIV testing and answered an anonymous survey. HIV seroprevalence was 0.4% (5 of 1248) among participants. The median age at first sexual intercourse was 16 years. Only 14.8% of participants reported condom use with every sexual encounter. Military students used condoms the most. Participants older than 45 years, compared with younger participants, had a fourfold (adjusted odds ratio 4.3) increased risk of not using condoms. Men were less likely to use a condom, more likely to practice anal intercourse, and had more sexual partners than women. Officers and non-commissioned officers were identified to have a twofold (as measured by adjusted odds ratio = 2.00 and 2.22, respectively) increased risk of having more than two sexual partners in the last month compared with students. Both officers and non-commissioned officers were twice as likely as students to practice anal intercourse. Despite the high-risk behaviours reported by those surveyed, HIV seroprevalence in active duty personnel was low. Future efforts should emphasize on the correct condom use keeping focus on the high-risk behaviours of groups at risk, and on routinely testing the military personnel for HIV.

Calidad de vida en portadores del virus de inmunodeficiencia humana en tratamiento antirretroviral

“…Los datos obtenidos en nuestra investigación no 21,22 coinciden en cuanto al género y la orientación sexual, según tendencias publicadas en el país y en la región . Esto podría deberse a que los varones se exponen más a conductas sexuales de riesgo pero, de igual manera, incide en forma directa en la propagación de la enfermedad.…”

Patterns and Determinants of Consistent Condom Use Among Cameroonian Soldiers

“…Participants older than 45 years, compared with younger participants, had a four-fold (adjusted odds ratio: 4.3) increased the risk of not using condoms. Officers and noncommissioned officers were identified to have a two-fold (as measured by adjusted odds ratio: 2.00 and 2.22, respectively) increased the risk of having more than 2 sexual partners in the last month, compared with students (11).…”

“…The last section evaluates the intentionality of actual and future condom use, in addition to the self-efficacy aspects of its use. Based on the assumption that the military staff behaviors regarding sexuality and condom use were different from those of the general population, the study adapted a questionnaire to fit the study context and objectives, based on the earlier versions by Tran et al (10) and Laguna-Torres et al (11). The questionnaire was piloted on a sample of 10 soldiers from 2 different battalions in the central region of the country, and was finally validated after research team discussions.…”

“…Based on the the relationship between communication and HIV/AIDS prevalence, it is reported that the properties of particular communities effectively improved self-efficacy, consistency, and use of condoms in Malawi (9). Reports from Botswana and Paraguay indicated that only 14% of military staff uses condoms during casual sexual encounters (10,11). There was almost no literature on the factors influencing condom use among Cameroonian soldiers.…”

The challenges of preexposure prophylaxis for bacterial sexually transmitted infections

“…Finally, it seems simplistic to assume that the exposed population is limited to the MSM community. Indeed, several situations leading to high-risk sex in other groups have been reported, for example within the military [26], during travels abroad [27], during adolescence, in correctional facilities or community facilities [28] or for female sex workers in particular in low-income countries [29], which may provide a setting for HIV and bacterial STI transmission. Among young female healthcare students, 29.7% were assessed as being at risk of STIs in Spain [30].…”