Sexual inactivity among men who have sex with men living with hiv in europe

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Most people living with HIV stay sexually active, but some remain inactive. This study investigated prevalence and correlates of sexual inactivity among European HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: An anonymous sexual health questionnaire was distributed in 17 HIV outpatient clinics throughout Europe. Ninety-seven (11.6%) of 838 respondents reported absence of sexual activity. Results: Multivariable regression analysis identified older age, relationship status, and less satisfaction with general health and sexual desire as being associated with sexual inactivity. Conclusions: Prevalence of sexual inactivity has declined since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy to levels similar to those of HIV-negative MSM, suggesting a tendency toward normalization of HIV-positive MSM's sex lives.

KEYWORDS.:

• HIV/AIDS
• sexual health promotion
• sexual satisfaction
• Europe
• sexual inactivity

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful to all study participants for contributing to this study and to the investigators at the participating centers: Birgit Mumelter (University of Innsbruck) and Gabriele Schmied (European Centre, Vienna) in Austria; Ruth Borms (Sensoa, Antwerp) in Belgium; Ivo Prochazka (University of Prague) in the Czech Republic; Johannes Bogner (Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich), Werner Becker and Ramona Volkert (Private Practice, Munich), Andreas Niedermeier (University Clinic for Dermatology, Munich), and Martin Karwat (Private Practice, Munich) in Germany; Nikos Dedes (Synthesis, Athens) in Greece; Peter Csepe (Semmelweis University, Budapest) in Hungary; Gloriana Bartoli and Carlo Giaquinto (University of Padua, Padua), and Caterina Uberti-Foppa and Giulia Galotta (HSR Ospedale, Milan) in Italy; Anda Vaisla (Latvian Family Planning Association, Riga) in Latvia; Michal Pozdal and Zbigniew Izdebski (University of Zielona Gora) in Poland; Luis Caldeira (Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon) and Sonia Ferreira Dias (Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Lisbon) in Spain for contributions to the manuscript; Victoria Gordillo (University Complutense of Madrid) in Spain; and Ed Wilkins and Cinthia Murphy (Pennine Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust, Manchester) in the United Kingdom.

FUNDING

Our thanks go also to the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study for funding, support, and cooperation. This study received funding from the European Commission (SANCO/Public Health), Grant Agreement No. 2004314. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained in this publication.

Additional supporting grants were received from UCB Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Tibotec (Janssen-Cilag).