HIV and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships: The Role of Coital Dilution
Author Information
Author(s): Larry Sawers, Alan G Isaac, Eileen Stillwaggon
Primary Institution: American University
Hypothesis
Does incorporating coital dilution into models of concurrent sexual partnerships affect the spread of HIV?
Conclusion
Incorporating realistic degrees of coital dilution into models shows that concurrency is not a significant driver of HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa.
Supporting Evidence
- The model shows that higher concurrency leads to faster epidemic extinction.
- Coital dilution reduces the average frequency of sex acts per partner.
- Previous studies have shown that concurrency does not significantly increase HIV transmission.
Takeaway
When people have more sexual partners, they tend to have less sex with each one, which means HIV spreads less than we thought.
Methodology
The study modified an existing model to include coital dilution and simulated HIV transmission over 250 years.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in self-reported data on sexual behavior.
Limitations
The model may overstate the impact of concurrency due to assumptions about coital frequency.
Participant Demographics
The model simulated a population of 10,000 men and 10,000 women.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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