Me. Beksinska et al., The practice and prevalence of dry sex among men and women in South Africa: a risk factor for sexually transmitted infections?, SEX TRANS I, 75(3), 1999, pp. 178-180
Objectives: To establish the prevalence of "dry sex" practice in a South Af
rican periurban population. To investigate the reasons for and factors infl
uencing the practice of dry sex and to evaluate dry sex practice as a risk
factor for sexually transmitted disease (STD).
Design: Cross sectional sample survey.
Methods: A random community sample of men and women aged between 16 and 35
in Gauteng Province, South Africa, were interviewed regarding the practice
of dry sex using a structured interviewer administered questionnaire.
Results: Dry sex practices were reported by 60% of men and 46% of women. Am
ong younger individuals dry sex practice is far more common among the less
educated, but there was no significant difference between education groups
in the older respondents. A higher proportion of men practising dry sex tha
n not practising dry sex reported having a past history of STD infection (5
6% versus 41%) although this difference was only marginally significant (p=
0.05). There was no difference in reported history of STD between women who
practised dry sex and those who did not.
Conclusions: This study shows that dry sex practice is common in this commu
nity. The younger less educated group were the most likely to practise dry
sex. Dry sex practice was associated with an increased prevalence of self r
eported STDs in men but not in women.