Safer Sexual Practices among HIV-positive Individuals in Tanzania

This study examined the relationship between partners' HIV-status and condom use among individuals who tested positive for HIV. It was hypothesized that individuals with HIV-negative partners were more likely to use condoms than those with HIV-positive partners. Data are from a survey of clients who visited the Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences' Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) site in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania between 1997-2008 (N= 45,071). Our sample (N= 1580 adults) consisted of 473 HIV-positive men (29.9%) and 1107 HIV-positive women (70.1 %). Results showed that more than half (56.6 %) of respondents who tested positive for HIV had not used a condom in the past six months. Also, 36 % of the participants reported that their partners had not been tested for HIV. Multiple logistic regression revealed that the two strongest predictors of condom use were respondents aged 45 years or older (OR= 4.9, 95% CI:1.73-14.34) and respondents with HIV-positive partners (OR =2.8, 1.7-4.6). Respondents with HIV-positive partners were 1.8 times more likely to use condoms than those with HIV-negative partners, however, the risk of future HIV-infections remains high. Future efforts to prevent new HIV infections should aim to increase HIV-voluntary counseling and testing, condom use, mutual monogamy, and prevention practices for serodiscordant couples.