The Four Seasons and modern HIV medicine in high-income countries: a screening and management approach of non-AIDS illnesses.

A cross-sectional study of 332 community recruited homosexual men found anal cytological abnormalities in 24.3% of HIV-negative and 57.5% of HIV-positive men. Histologically confirmed HGAIN was detected in 21. HGAIN was prevalent in homosexual men across all age groups and was more than twice as common in HIV-positive men compared with HIV-negative men. The presence of high-risk anal HPV was highly predictive of HGAIN.

This qualitative study examines infertility perceptions of environmental risks (contaminants, STIs, lifestyle habits) in 40 ethnically diverse, male and female university students from Ottawa, Canada. Young adults exhibit a general understanding of environmental risks to infertility but are overly optimistic that healthy lifestyle behaviours will safeguard future fertility. Participants were only superficially aware of associations between sexually transmitted infections and infertility; supporting a continued need for comprehensive sexual health education.

This study compared the prevalence and associated factors of inconsistent condom use during commercial sex between female sex workers who inject drugs (FSW-IDUs) and who do not inject drugs (FSW-NIDUs). Only 16.5% of the FSW-IDUs and 51.3% of the FSW-NIDUs reported using condoms consistently with clients in the last month (Odds Ratio=0.19). FSW-IDUs were more likely than FSW-NIDUs to possess cognitive and psycho-social conditions that were associated with unprotected commercial sex.

An illustration of the use of mapping and regression methods was carried out to examine the spatial gaps that exist between sexually transmitted infection (STI) services and morbidity using 2007 county-level data on chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis from Texas. Geocoded STI service (STI and family planning (FP) clinics) locations was overlaid on Texas county-level STI categorical morbidity map. Results indicated that having STI service was not associated with high morbidity.

Hospitalisation records for ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women aged 15-44 years in NSW between 2001 and 2008 were examined for trends and compared to chlamydia notifications in the same population over the same time period. Record-linkage was used to account for repeat events in the same women in a single year. While the rate of chlamydia diagnoses were found to increase, there was little change in ectopic pregnancy and infertility admissions.

This audit assessed adherence to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Department of Health, Western Australia guidelines for sexually transmitted infection testing in seven WA public hospitals in 2007 (baseline audit) and 2010 (follow-up audit). Adherence to testing at the first antenatal visit in accordance with the guidelines improved over time. Chlamydia prevalence was 3% and 8% among on Aboriginal and Aboriginal women, respectively.

Provision of Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) is an ideal opportunity for offering Chlamydia screening (CS) to sexually active young women. We audited 3 months of CS activity in community pharmacies. This identified low rates of offers and uptake of CS in community pharmacies providing EHC to young women. This highlights the potential for significant improvement in CS uptake among this at-risk group in the pharmacy setting.

One in six sexual health clinic attendees diagnosed with anogenital gonorrhoea had concurrent chlamydial co-infection. No demographic, behavioural or clinical predictors of co-infection were identified. Anti-chlamydial therapy should be considered for all patients with gram-stain-diagnosed anogenital gonorrhoea at the initial clinic visit.

HIV infections among men who have sex with men are increasing in Japan. This study analysed the relationship between age and unprotected anal sex (UAI) in gay bar customers in Osaka. The highest rates of UAI were in the ≥45 and ≤24 age groups. Differing factors were associated with UAI by age group. Findings indicate that condom use promotion programs are needed for younger and older men who have sex with men.

This study examined associations between perceived gender relations, sexual communication ability and actual use of condoms or other contraceptives among undergraduate female students in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Results showed that the greater a female student’s perception that women were subordinate to men, the lower her self-efficacy for sexual communication and the lower her actual frequency of discussing safer sex matters and asking her partner to use a condom.

This report describes a patient with symptomatic Trichomonas vaginalis infection who was unable to tolerate nitroimidazole drugs because of severe hypersensitivity for which desensitization was not possible. A 2-month course of intravaginal topical boric acid subsequently achieved complete symptomatic cure and the patient remained T. vaginalis wet prep- and culture-negative 60 days after treatment.

The professional attitudes and practice of health care workers towards clients from vulnerable groups can affect the quality of care. This article presents the results of a study on health care worker’s attitude and behavior towards PLHIV and vulnerable communities in Fiji. Health care workers negative attitudes and behavior is a barrier to equal access to health care services. Empowering staff through further education training in HIV could improve quality of care in the health care facilities.

In China, sexuality studies using validated psychosexual instruments are limited. This article tests the psychometric properties of the four subscales of Mandarin version of the Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire (M-MSQ). It discusses the reliability and validity, the results indicate these four subscales can be as a measure of sexual esteem, sexual conscious, sexual motivation and sexual satisfaction in Mandarin speakers.

As microbicide development continues, an understanding of product acceptability, including timing of application, is imperative. Among young women using a microbicide surrogate there was tremendous variation in actual timing-of-use versus assigned timing conditions. Overall product assessments were positive, including ease of use and comfort during sex. These results have implications for how microbicides will be used by and should be marketed to young women.

We conducted qualitative interviews among heterosexual African American women to examine the social, structural, and behavioural factors influencing sexual concurrency. We found trust of partners, social normalisation of concurrency, marital status, economic dependence on partners, partners’ incarceration, and substance use strongly influenced concurrent sexual partnerships. HIV prevention interventions should address the social and structural factors influencing African American women’s sexual networks as well as traditional HIV risk-taking behaviours.

Concurrency has been associated with the transmission of sexually transmittable infections. However, different types of concurrency may be associated with varying levels of risk. This study considered four types of concurrency and found that each was associated with a varying set of predictors. Two types, experimental and reactive, were associated with other high-risk behaviours.

Gender differences in sexual behaviours and sexually transmissible infections (STIs) among adolescents in mental health treatment were examined. Females were more likely to be STI-positive and report inconsistent condom use, whereas males were less likely to obtain HIV testing, receive their test results, refuse and avoid sex, and more likely to have a casual partner. Mental health care for adolescents should include assessment of sexual risk and gender-specific HIV/STI prevention strategies are necessary.

No previous study has examined relationships of symptoms of depression to multiple sexual risk-taking in adolescents. This study examines such associations while controlling for other known risk factors and measures of social capital. A consistent and independent association of risk of depression with multiple risk behaviours is seen, which should lead health-care workers dealing with adolescents to inquire about sexual risk behaviours in patients who have symptoms of depression.

In response to an increasing HIV epidemic in China, a 5-year action plan has prioritised the scale-up of HIV testing and treatment.  We use a mathematical model to investigate ‘test and treat’ strategies in China and find that a four-fold increase in testing may avert more than 42 000 HIV infections and a 10-fold increase in treatment rates could decrease HIV incidence by one-quarter over the next 5 years.

This paper describes the epidemiology of congenital and infectious syphilis during 1991-2009, and discusses the impact of public health interventions and the feasibility of syphilis elimination among Aboriginal people in Western Australia (WA). The epidemiology of syphilis in WA has changed over time and despite some successes, infectious syphilis has remained endemic. This is largely due to the unique geographical and socio-economic features of WA.

Gonorrhoea is a significant public health problem in China, with 100 000–200 000 cases reported annually. With the aim of gaining more information to control this disease, we carried out a spatial analysis of gonorrhoea cases in entire mainland China from 2004 to 2009. We found three spatial clusters of high gonorrhoea risk. Allocating more resources to such areas may effectively reduce gonorrhoea incidence.

It was examined if products surrounding condoms in stores play a role in preferences where to buy condoms. One hundred and eighty young men and women completed an online questionnaire on their preferences for seven different types of condom placement, associated embarrassment with these placements, and motives for having sex. The findings suggest that using multiple and alternative placements for condoms in stores will encourage condom purchasing behaviour among young people.

Correlates of chlamydia infection were determined within a primary care sentinel surveillance network in Victoria, Australia. Among women, correlates were: younger age, being born overseas, multiple sex partners, and inconsistent condom use. Among heterosexual men, correlates were: younger age, being born overseas, symptoms, and multiple sex partners. Among men who have sex with men, correlates were: being born overseas, being HIV-positive, and higher numbers of anal sex partners.

This systematic review describes four distinct STI programs in remote communities and their impact on STI prevalence. The programs were in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands of northern South Australia, Tiwi Islands of Northern Territory (NT), Ngaanyatjarra Lands of Western Australia, and central Australian region of NT. In three of the four programs, there was some evidence that clinical best practice and well coordinated sexual health programs can reduce STI prevalence in remote Aboriginal communities.