Sexual behavior among people living with HIV on Antiretroviral therapy at Mpigi Health Centre IV, Central Uganda

Abstract

This paper examined the sexual behaviour of people living with HIV who are on Antiretroviral Treatment. ART treatment improves the health status and life expectancy of people with HIV and this may gradually change their sexual behaviour. ART enables people living with HIV to regain their sexual viability.

This was a cross sectional descriptive study that aimed at examining the sexual behaviour among people infected with HIV on antiretroviral therapy. The study was composed of 358 respondents of whom 60% were females. The methods used during data collection included the structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. Data was analysed at three different levels i.e. univariate, bivariate using Pierson Chi-square and at the multivariate level, the multinomial logistic model was fitted.

The study revealed that 34.6% of the respondents were sexually active, 58% disclosed their status to their partners, and 52% engaged in sexual activity with partners whose status they knew. The findings also showed that 35% of the respondents engaged in sexual activity with HIV positive partners while 17% were discordant couples. Multiple partnering (48%) was highly observed amongst the married, Unfaithfulness and non-condom use were the risky sexual behaviours identified.

It is important for programme implementers to design effective programmes that will address the risky sexual behaviours observed amongst the PHA s. Such programmes if HIV transmission is to be reduced in Uganda. Similarly there was a growing number of PHA s that engaged in sexual activity with HIV negative people, it is therefore important to strengthen the counselling and adherence service provided to the PHA s as well as giving information about HIV status disclosure to the PHAs.