CDC: Condom Use Has Declined Among HIV Patients

Condom use has decreased significantly among HIV-infected individuals, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM), according to a review of data from HIV prevention programs funded by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

From 2012 to 2016, the percentage of program enrollees who self-reported having had condomless sex increased from 26% to 41%.

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The review, authored by Hui Zhang Kudon, MPH, and fellow CDC colleagues, was presented at the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting & Expo on Saturday, November 10.

The researchers analyzed data reported on 432,984 participants in risk reduction interventions at 52 CDC-funded health departments from 2012 to 2016.

Among participants who self-reported having HIV, 42% said they did not use sex condoms. Among participants who self-reported not having HIV or being unsure of their status, 35% said they had condomless sex.

Overall, 64% of MSM, 24% of heterosexual men, and 33% of women had reported not using condoms. And 36% of all program enrollees self-reported having sex without condoms in the past year.

The researchers point out that the increase in not using condoms, at least in MSM, might be due to the availability of biomedical HIV prevention strategies, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis and antiretroviral therapy; that availability might lead to a decrease in the use of condoms for preventing HIV transmission.

“Increases in condomless sex from 2012 to 2016 were significant for HIV-positive, MSM, and female enrollees,” the researchers concluded. “Public health programs should be aware of such trends and continue to emphasize the importance of condom use as additional protection against sexually transmitted infections.”

—Colleen Murphy

Reference:

Kudon HZ, Mulatu M, Song W, Heitgerd J. Trends in condomless sex among enrollees of HIV risk reduction interventions at CDC-funded health departments in the United States, 2012-2016. Paper presented at: APHA 2018 Annual Meeting & Expo; November 10-14, 2018; San Diego, CA. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2018/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/413116. Accessed November 9, 2018.