Document 0183
 DOCN  M9650183
 TI    Risk behaviour and STD acquisition in genitourinary clinic attenders who
       have travelled.
 DT    9605
 AU    Hawkes S; Hart GJ; Bletsoe E; Shergold C; Johnson AM; Academic
       Department of Genito-Urinary Medicine, Mortimer Market; Centre, London,
       UK.
 SO    Genitourin Med. 1995 Dec;71(6):351-4. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96164962
 AB    OBJECTIVE--To investigate the travel history of clients presenting at a
       genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic in order to assess the contribution
       made by sexual partnerships abroad to STD transmission in the UK.
       SUBJECTS--386 old and new clients who attended during a 3-month period
       and who had travelled abroad in the 3 months preceding their visit.
       METHODS--All participating clients self-completed a confidential
       questionnaire, the results of which were then linked to their clinical
       diagnosis (if any). RESULTS--25% of participants reported a new sexual
       partner during their most recent trip abroad. In comparison to those not
       reporting a new partner, they were more likely to be male, travelling
       alone, to have visited the clinic previously and to have no regular
       sexual partner. Two-thirds reported never or inconsistently using
       condoms with these new partners. A total of 11.6% of the STDs diagnosed
       in the study participants may have been acquired abroad. CONCLUSION--We
       have found a high rate of new sexual relationships reported by attendees
       at our GUM clinic, and a low rate of reported condom use. With high HIV
       incidence rates in many tourist regions, the need for further studies to
       establish the true extent of imported STDs in the UK is a priority, and
       primary prevention campaigns to inform travellers are of paramount
       importance.
 DE    Adult  Condoms  Female  Homosexuality  Human  Male  Risk-Taking  *Sex
       Behavior  Sexually Transmitted Diseases/*TRANSMISSION  *Travel  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

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