Title: A Study of Behavioral Pattern of Women with Sexually and Reproductive Transmitted Infections (STIs/RTIs) in Relation to HIV/AIDS

Authors: Dr Kirti Patel, Dr Archana G Singh, Dr Usha Gupta

 DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v4i10.34

Abstract

 Background: Sexually transmitted diseases/Reproductive tract infections are known major public health problems worldwide. These are largely neglected until the appearance of HIV/AIDS and have far reaching health, social and economic consequences. It is essential to bring change in social behavior of people to practice safe sex and improve knowledge and understanding about various factors predisposing to STDs/RTIs and HIV/AIDS.

Objectives: To study  the  behavioral  difference between  HIV  reactive  and  non  reactive  women  with  STIs/RTIs  and to  find  out  possible  predisposing   risky behavior for HIV/AIDS.

Methodology: A Cross-sectional, questionnaire-based, epidemiological study was conducted in 1927 female patients diagnosed with STDs/RTIs over a period of 2 years, in department of Obstetrics and Gynecology NSCB Medical college Hospital, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.

Results: Total 1927 women with STIs were registered. 91 were HIV reactive. Majority belonged to middle age, rural and lower strata background and were engaged in risky medical, social and unsafe sexual practices.

Conclusion: STIs contribute to the spread of HIV infection. Unsafe  sexual  practices  need  to  be arrested  by  the  introduction of  a  culture-sensitive  and  cognitive- behavioral  interventions  package.

Keywords: STIs, HIV, Behavioral pattern.

References

1.      http://www.womenink.org.R Sexually Transmitted Disease including HIV/AIDS

(chapter- 5) in a book ,Reproductive health in refugee situations-An inter agency field manual .United nations population fund (UNFPA) Humantarian Response Group, NEW YORK.

2.      Kar HK,Jain RK,Sharma PK,et al. Increasing HIV prevelance in STD clinic attendees in Delhi, India :6 year (1995_-2000) hospital based study results, Sex Transm infect.

3.      Akindutire,IO.Reasons for the continuing spread of HIV/AIDS despite conscious efforts to curb it. Paper presented at the train-the-Trainers workshop on the HIV/ AIDS Prvention and Control ,Ondo State Uni., Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria,22-24 jan 1995.

4.      Shannon R.Galvin and MYRONS. cohen. the role of sexually transmitted diseases in HIV transmission. Nature reviews. Jan 04.

5.      Fleming, D.T.and Wasserheit,J.N.From epidemiological synergy to public health policy and practice :the contribution of other sexually transmitted diseases to other sexual transmission of HIV infection. Sex .Trans. infect.

6.      Solomon S ,Kumarasamy N,Ganesh AK, Amalraj RE. Prevalence and risk factors of HIV -1 and HIV 2binfection in urban and rural areas in Tamilnadu, India .int J STD AIDS.

7.      Sahasrabudhe VV, Ghalop TA , Jethava YS, Joglekar NS, Brahme RG, Gaikwad BA, et al. Patient led sexual partner referral in a district hospital based STD clinic in Maharashtra. J postgrad Med 2002; 48: 105-8

8.      Brahme RG, Sahay S Malhotra – Kohli R, Divekar A D, Ganagakhedkar1 R.R. Parkhe A.P., Kharat1 M.P.  Risbud1 A.R. ,  Bollinger R.C.,  Mehendle S., and Paranjape  R.S.  High risk behaviour in young men attending sexually transmitted disease clinics in Pune, India.  AIDS care2005 17(13): 377-385

9.      Hawkes S, Santhya K.G.  Diverse Realities:  Sexually transmitted disease in HIV in India.  Sexually transmitted infections. 2002; 78 Suppl 1:i31-9

10.  Shri Krishnan AK, Hendriksen E, Vallabhaneni S, Johnson SL , Raminani S, Kumarasamy N, Hobsen J , Solomon S, Mayer KH, Safren SA.  Sexual behaviours of individual with HIV living in South India: a qualitative study. YRG CARE , Chennai, India AIDS Educ Prev. 2007;  19(4)334-45

11.  Bozicevic I, Stulhofer A, Ajdukovic D, Kufrin K. Patterns of sexual behaviour and reported symptoms of STI/RTIs among young people in Croatia—implications for interventions’ 70.planning. Coll Antropol. 2006 Dec; 30 (2): 63-72

12.  Johnson AM , Mercer CH, Erens B, et al. Sexual: partnerships, practices, and HIV risk behaviours in Britain. Lancet. 2001; 358:1835-42

13.  Merson MH, Dayton  JM,O, Reilly K. Effectiveness of HIV prevention interve-netions in developing countries .AIDS;24 (suppl 2):s 68-84

14.  Robinson NJ,Silarug N,Surasiengsunk S, Auvert B,Hanenberg R. Two million HIV infections prevented in Thailand:estimate of the impact of increased condom use .XI International AIDS Conference, Vancou-ver,  July 1996

15.  Klavs I, Rodrigues LC, Wellings K, et al. Increased condom use at sexual debout in the general population of Slovenia and association with subsequent condom use. AIDS 2005; 1215-23

16.  Mehendale SM, Shephard ME, Divekar AD, Gangakhedkar RR, Kamble SS, Menon PA, Yadav R, Risbud AR, Paranjape RS, Gadkari DA, Quinn TC, Bollinger RC, Rodrigues JJ.  Evidence for high prevalence & rapid transmission of HIV among individuals attending STD clinics in Pune, India.  Indians J Med Res. 1996; 104:327-35

17.  Divekar  AA, Gogate AS ,  Shivkar LK ,  Gogate S,  Bhadwar VR. Disease prevalence in women attending the STD clinic in Mumbai, India. Int J STD AIDS . 2000; 11:45-8

18.  Akinnawo and Oguntimehin. Health seeking behaviour of STD patients in an urban areaof southwest Nigeria: an exploratory study. Supplement to Health Transition Review. 1997; 7: 307-313.

19.  Peeling RW, Mabey D, Fitzgerald DW, Watson –Jones D. Avoiding HIV and dying of syphilis.  Lancet 2004;  364: 1561-3  doi:  10. 1016/S0140-6736(04) 17327-3  pmid: 15519615.

20.  Shannon R.  Galvin and Myron S. Cohen The role of sexually transmitted disease in HIV transmission. Nature reviews; 2004;  2:33-42

21.  Kar HK, Jain RK, Sharma PK, et al . Increasing HIV prevalence in STD clinic attendees in Delhi,  India: 6 year (1995-2000) hospital based study results, Sex Transm Infect.  2001;  77:393.

22.  Mayans MV, Escriba JM. Prevalence of STI and risk of HIV infection in men . Int J STD AIDS. 2003; 14: 341-343.

23.  Berkley , SF . Widdy- wirski , R. okware, SI. Downing , R. Linman , MJ. White, KE and sempala , S. Risk factors associated with HIV infection in Uganda. Journal of infectious disease 1989;  (160) 1: 22-30.

24.  Rottingen, J. –A., Cameron D.W.  & Garnett, G.P.  A systematic review of the epidemiologic interactions between classic sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Sex . Trans. Dis. 2001 . 28: 579-597.

25.  Sibbald , B. India and China face crisis. CMAJ .  2003;  169:330.

Corresponding Author

Dr Kirti Patel

Senior Resident, Dept of Obstetrics & Gynecology

NSCB Medical College, Jabalpur, MP