Lesbians' risk of HIV may be underrated
Lesbians’ risk of HIV may be underrated
Studies from UCLA and other institutions indicate that a small group of lesbians engage in high-risk activities that put them in greater danger of HIV infection than lesbians as a whole.
"The good news is that our research suggests that, as generally believed, most lesbians do not face a high risk of HIV infection," says Susan Cochran, a UCLA epidemiologist and author of several studies published in the journal Women’s Health. "However, there is a smaller group of lesbians, who tend to be young and still may be unsure about their sexuality, who engage in activities that may put them at risk."
The researchers surveyed 350 lesbians ages 18 to 25. About one-quarter reported sex with men in the prior year, while 19% reported sex with a gay man in the prior three months.
Another study in the journal surveyed 8,500 lesbian and bisexual women. It found that lesbians most likely to report sex with a man in the past year were more likely to describe themselves as bisexual, be younger, less educated, and not in a lesbian relationship. Women reporting sexual relationships with men were more likely to have vaginal infection and sexually transmitted diseases.
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