The influence of antiretroviral therapy on risky sexual behavours: experience from Dar es salaam region

Abstract

Provision of ARV therapy may change the type of risky sexual behavior among PL WHA. Studies have shown that, this may happen however, little is known in Tanzania of how such behavior may change with ARV treatment. The study objective was to assess the influence of ARV therapy on sexual risk behavior among PL WHA. An analytical cross-sectional study of patients attending ART clinics was conducted in July 2008 to assess sexual risk behavior and factors associated with such behavior. Risk sexual behavior was measured using three types of scores related to frequency of sexual activities, type of sexual partner and knowledge about sexual risks. Mean scores were computed and associations were determined using linear regression. Out of a study sample of 502 HIV positive patients, 49.8% were on ARV and 50.2% were not. The results showed that, there were no differences between ARV users and non-ARV users in risk frequency and risk type scores, (p- value 0.144 and 0.096 respectively). Using risk knowledge scores, people not on ARV treatment were more likely to have high risk behaviors, (p- value 0.0280). Using ARV was not found to be a good predictor of risk sexual behavior, but when adjusted for age, sex, marital status and socio-economic status, ARV use was found to be a significant predictor of risk sexual behavior. ARV use alone did not seem to have an influence on risk sexual behavior; but when adjusted for age, sex, marital status and socio-economic status it was found that PLWHA not using ARV were more likely to engage in high risk sexual behavior. Integrated ART and Prevention programmes may reduce HIV transmission, however, the findings of this study merits further research.