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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 6(1)

Risk reduction as an accepted framework for safer-sex promotion among women who have sex with women

Peta Cox A C and Ruth McNair B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A 106 Lennox Street, Newtown, Sydney, NSW 2042, Australia.

B Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, 200 Berkeley Street, Carlton, Vic. 3053, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: peta.cox@uts.edu.au

Sexual Health 6(1) 15-18 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH08022
Submitted: 15 March 2008  Accepted: 12 August 2008   Published: 23 February 2009

Abstract

Background: Safer-sex information for women who have sex with women (WSW) is often very difficult to locate. Girl2girl.info is one of the only websites focussed on safer sex for WSW. The present article describes the predevelopment consultation and evaluation of girl2girl.info. A risk-reduction framework was used to develop the website. Methods: Girl2girl.info was developed in 2004 using questionnaires and focus groups with 36 consumers who were WSW, largely based in Canberra, Australia. In 2006–2007 the site was evaluated using mixed methods of questionnaires with 74 WSW and interviews with 17 health professionals around Australia. Results: This research has identified some key attitudes toward safer sex of WSW participants, in particular a misperception that the majority of WSW are at low risk for sexually transmissible infections and a consistent aversion to using latex for safer sex. Conclusions: The article concludes that the promotion of a risk-reduction approach – including non-latex-based safer-sex practices – for WSW is both a theoretically appropriate and engaging form of health promotion for WSW.

Additional keywords: attitudes, health promotion, latex, lesbian, safe sex, sexually transmissible infection prevention, website.


Acknowledgements

Thanks to Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT for their ongoing support of the girl2girl.info project. Thanks also to the Australian Lesbian Medical Association and the AIDS Council of New South Wales Grant Scheme for providing the funds for the evaluative phase of the project.


References


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