CASUAL SEXUAL EXPERIENCE ABROAD IN PATIENTS ATTENDING AN STD CLINIC AND AT HIGH-RISK FOR HIV-INFECTION

Objective-To study possible ''import'' routes of HIV infection to Norw ay (by obtaining information on casual sexual contacts abroad from pat ients attending an STD clinic), and to assess their behavioural risk f actors (such as alcohol intake, use of condom) for HIV infection. Desi gn and Setting-Patients visiting the clinic for sexually transmitted d iseases (STD), April-June 1989, received a questionnaire. Subjects-606 consecutive persons of whom 599 agreed (98.8%) to participate. We gro uped the patients in four categories. 1: Sex with a prostitute during the last 5 years, 2: Homosexuals/bisexuals, 3: prostitutes/intravenous drug abusers (IVDUs) and 4: Other heterosexuals. Results-245 patients (41%) reported having a casual sex partner abroad (M: 182, F: 63), ma inly in Europe, particularly in Spain, Denmark and Greece. Outside Eur ope such contacts were most frequently reported from USA, Brazil and T hailand. Among men who had had sex with a prostitute, 93.5% reported s uch sex abroad (homosexuals/bisexuals: 63.6%, prostitutes/IVDUs: 66.7% , ''other heterosexuals: 32.1%). Homosexual/bisexual men with casual p artner(s) abroad used a condom more frequently than did others. Conclu sion-245 of 599 persons reported casual sex abroad during 1985-1989, a nd the different ''risk groups'' reported countries where most HIV inf ected persons belonged to their own ''risk group''. We have reason to believe that alcohol intake increased the likelihood of casual sexual activity and decreased the use of condom. Norwegian travellers need mo re information on the risks of casual sex abroad, the use of condoms a nd the combination of alcohol intake and casual sex.