Perceptions of health care professionals and patients about the risk of HIV transmission through oral sex: a qualitative study

We explored health care professionals' beliefs and methods for counseling p atients about risks for transmitting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) thr ough oral sex and HIV-seropositive patients' beliefs and practices regardin g oral sex behavior. Health care professionals used divergent counseling st rategies, avoided specific recommendations, and expressed ambivalence about recommending barrier protection for oral sex. Patients expressed differing beliefs about oral sex risk; the majority have engaged in unprotected oral sex since diagnosis. Few professionals or patients mentioned oral sex risk for other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which can be cofactors for HIV Although scientific evidence indicates a potential risk for transmitti ng HIV via oral sex, and patients in our sample want more information about this risk, the health care professionals we interviewed have adopted a lar gely noncommittal approach to communicating potential risk to patients. Hea lth care professionals should consider discussing more specifically with pa tients the oral sex risk for transmission of HIV and other sexually transmi tted diseases. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.