Psychological distress, drug and alcohol use as correlates of condom use in HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples.

The authors investigated the relationship of psychological distress and drug and alcohol use to reported condom use in 106 sexually active HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples. Significant differences were found among heterosexual condom users and non-users which varied according to gender and HIV serostatus. Affect domains of interpersonal sensitivity and hostility were significant as were the variables of regular drug or alcohol use and combining sex with drugs or alcohol. Further employment was strongly associated with condom use HIV-negative women whose regular sex partners were HIV-positive men. The authors therefore conclude that the risk of vaginal sex without condoms in HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples may be reduced by specific psychological counseling and attention to drug and alcohol use as risk factors. Further research is however called for on the effect of employment on HIV-negative women.