THE SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS AT 2 GLASGOW GUM CLINICS

A survey of patients attending 2 Glasgow genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics was conducted in 2 S-month periods in 1993 and 1994. Three hun dred and twenty-five attendees who had travelled abroad in the precedi ng 3 months completed anonymous self-administered questionnaires about their sexual behaviour during these recent journeys abroad. There wer e 112 women and 213 men (185 heterosexuals and 28 homosexuals). Twenty -two (19.6%) women, 56 (31%) heterosexual men and 13 (42%) homesexual men had a sexual contact with a new partner while abroad. Of those who had had a new sexual contact abroad, 11 women (50% of those who had s ex with a new partner) and 33 heterosexual men (59% of those who had s ex with a new partner) were inconsistent users of condoms. Analysis of data found that homosexual and heterosexual men, and business travell ers, are at increased risk of exposure to sexually transmitted disease s, including HIV infection, and should be targeted with safer sex heal th promotion prior to travel.