SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR AMONG LONDON GUM CLINIC ATTENDERS - IMPLICATIONS FOR HIV EDUCATION

The aim of this study was to describe the sexual behaviour of a sample of genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic attenders, 5 years after the l aunch of the UK government HN media campaigns. A gender-specific and a nonymous cross-sectional self-completion questionnaire was modified fr om the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle and completed by 250 men and 250 women. The majority of the respondents were in the ir twenties, lived in London and were employed or students. Sixty-eigh t per cent of the men reported that one or more of their last 3 partne rs was not a regular partner. For those men whose last sexual encounte r was with a new partner, 27% of heterosexuals and 33% of homosexuals reported using a condom. Fifty-one per cent of women reported one or m ore nonregular partners among their last 3 partners. For those women w hose last sexual encounter was with a new partner, 43% of heterosexual s and 75% of bisexuals used a condom. Seventy-eight per cent of men an d 75% of women had had a previous sexually transmitted disease (STD). These findings highlight the persistence of practices associated with the risk of contracting or transmitting HIV infection and which needs to be addressed in future educational campaigns. The GUM clinic popula tion is an important population to monitor over time, either by longit udinal or serial cross-sectional studies. The results of this study pr ovide a baseline against which to gauge the effects of future educatio nal interventions.