Risky sexual behavior explained

Risky sexual behavior is the description of the activity that will increase the probability that a person engaging in sexual activity with another person infected with a sexually transmitted infection will be infected,[1] [2] [3] become unintentionally pregnant, or make a partner pregnant. It can mean two similar things: the behavior itself, and the description of the partner's behavior.[1]

The behavior could be unprotected vaginal, oral, anal, or non-penetrative manual intercourse. The partner could be a non-exclusive sexual partner, HIV-positive, and/or an intravenous drug user.[1] [2] [4] Illicit drug use is closely associated with risky sexual behaviors.[2] [5]

Factors

Risky sexual behaviors can include:[6]

Risky sexual behavior includes unprotected intercourse, multiple sexual partners, and illicit drug use.[1] [2] The use of alcoholic drinks and illicit drugs greatly increases the risk of gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, hepatitis B, and HIV/AIDS.[2] Trauma from penile-anal sex has been identified as a risky sexual behavior.

Risky sexual behaviors can lead to serious consequences both for person and their partner(s). This sometimes includes cervical cancer, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. An association exists between those with a higher incidence of body modifications (such as body piercings and tattoos) and risky sexual behaviors.[11]

Epidemiology

According to the National Youth Behavior Risk Survey, 19% of all sexually active adolescents in the US consumed alcohol or used other drugs before their last sexual intercourse.[12] In contrast, adolescents who reported no substance use were found to be the least likely to engage in sexual risk-taking.[13]

Most Canadian and American adolescents aged 15 to 19 years describe having had sexual intercourse at least one time. In the same population, 23.9% and 45.5% of young, adolescent females describe having sex with two or more sexual partners during the previous year. Of the males in the same population, 32.1% of Canadian males had two or more partners and 50.8% of American males also describe a similar experience.

Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among youth aged 18–25 years. 10% of young adults had an alcohol use disorder in 2018, which is greater than the prevalence among all other age cohorts.[14] Research indicates that alcohol can lead to risky sexual behavior including lack of condom use, sexual intercourse with a non-primary partner, as well as lower likelihood of using contraception in general.[15]

Among older age cohorts, a similar positive trend can be observed in risky sexual behavior when combined with alcohol use. For instance, research on older men who have sex with men (MSM) showed that the likelihood of engaging in risky sexual activities increased with the use of alcohol and other drugs.[16]

Treatment and interventions

There are several factors linked to risky sexual behaviors. These include inconsistent condom use, alcohol use, polysubstance abuse, depression, lack of social support, recent incarceration, residing with a partner, and exposure to intimate partner violence and childhood sexual abuse. Further research is needed to establish the exact causal relationship between these factors and risky sexual behaviors.[17] [18] Sexual health risk reduction can include motivational exercises, assertiveness skills, educational and behavioral interventions. Counseling has been developed and implemented for people with severe mental illness, may improve participants' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors or practices (including assertiveness skills) and could lead to a reduction in risky sexual behavior.[19]

There are several studies on the management of risky sexual behavior among youth, with most focusing on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV.[20] [21] [22] A meta-analysis evaluating prevention interventions among adolescents offers support for these programs in contributing to successful outcomes such as decreased incident STIs, increased condom use, and decreased or delayed penetrative sex. The findings showed that most interventions were administered in a group format and involved psychoeducation on HIV/AIDS, active interpersonal skills-training with some additionally focusing on self-management skills-training and condom information/ demonstrations. Some evidence suggests that family interventions may be beneficial in preventing long-term risky sexual behavior in early adulthood.[23]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Eaton . A.D. . Scheadler . T.R. . Bradley . C. . McInroy . L.B. . September 2023 . Identity development, attraction, and behaviour of heterosexually identified men who have sex with men: scoping review protocol . . . 12 . 184 . 184 . 10.1186/s13643-023-02355-6 . free . 10542689 . 37777815 . 2046-4053 . 263231942.
  2. Wang . S.-C. . Maher . B. . December 2019 . Substance Use Disorder, Intravenous Injection, and HIV Infection: A Review . Cell Transplantation . . 28 . 12 . 1465–1471 . 10.1177/0963689719878380 . free . 1555-3892 . 6923556 . 31547679 . 202746148.
  3. Dimbuene . Z.T. . Emina . J.B. . Sankoh . O. . March 2014 . UNAIDS 'multiple sexual partners' core indicator: promoting sexual networks to reduce potential biases . . . 7 . 1 . 23103 . 10.3402/gha.v7.23103 . free . 3955766 . 24647127 . 1654-9880 . 12815577.
  4. Web site: Risky Adolescent Sexual Behavior: A Psychological Perspective for Primary Care Clinicians . Hall PA . Topics in Advanced Practice Nursing eJournal . 4 . 1 . 2004.
  5. Fryar CD, Hirsch R, Porter KS, Kottiri B, Brody DJ, Louis T . Drug use and sexual behaviors reported by adults: United States, 1999-2002 . Advance Data . 384 . 1–14 . June 2007 . 17668724 . 21 April 2017 . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics .
  6. Book: Alcohol Use and Sexual Risk Behaviour: A Cross-Cultural Study in Eight Countries . World Health Organization. Mental Health: Evidence and Research Team . World Health Organization . 2005 . 10665/43122 . 978-92-4-156289-8 . 11 June 2022.
  7. Web site: High Risk Sexual Behaviour . British Columbia, HealthLinkBC . 27 May 2016 . 21 April 2017 . 21 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170321084232/https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/tw9064 . dead .
  8. Siegler AJ, Rosenthal EM, Sullivan PS, Christina Mehta C, Moore RH, Ahlschlager L, Kelley CF, Rosenberg ES, Cecil MP . 6 . Levels of clinical condom failure for anal sex: A randomized cross-over trial . eClinicalMedicine . 17 . 100199 . December 2019 . 31891134 . 6933145 . 10.1016/j.eclinm.2019.10.012 .
  9. Web site: Safe Sex . WebMD . 26 February 2020 .
  10. Henderson . Elena . Aaron . Sean . Blackhurst . Zachary . Maddock . Meghan . Fincham . Frank . Braithwaite . Scott R. . 2020-12-01 . Is Pornography Consumption Related to Risky Behaviors During Friends with Benefits Relationships? . The Journal of Sexual Medicine . en . 17 . 12 . 2446–2455 . 10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.08.017 . 33077372 . 1743-6109.
  11. Book: Potter, Patricia . vanc . Fundamentals of nursing . Mosby Elsevier . St. Louis, Mo . 2013 . 9780323079334 . 386 .
  12. Kann L, McManus T, Harris WA, Shanklin SL, Flint KH, Queen B, Lowry R, Chyen D, Whittle L, Thornton J, Lim C, Bradford D, Yamakawa Y, Leon M, Brener N, Ethier KA . 6 . Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance - United States, 2017 . MMWR. Surveillance Summaries . 67 . 8 . 1–114 . June 2018 . 29902162 . 6002027 . 10.15585/mmwr.ss6708a1 .
  13. Lowry R, Holtzman D, Truman BI, Kann L, Collins JL, Kolbe LJ . Substance use and HIV-related sexual behaviors among US high school students: are they related? . American Journal of Public Health . 84 . 7 . 1116–20 . July 1994 . 8017535 . 1614756 . 10.2105/AJPH.84.7.1116 .
  14. Web site: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP19-5068, NSDUH Series H-54). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Home Page CBHSQ Data. 21 October 2020. www.samhsa.gov.
  15. Weinhardt LS, Carey MP . Does alcohol lead to sexual risk behavior? Findings from event-level research . Annual Review of Sex Research . 11 . 125–57 . 2000 . 11351830 . 2426779 .
  16. Heath J, Lanoye A, Maisto SA . The role of alcohol and substance use in risky sexual behavior among older men who have sex with men: a review and critique of the current literature . AIDS and Behavior . 16 . 3 . 578–89 . April 2012 . 21390534 . 3743230 . 10.1007/s10461-011-9921-2 .
  17. Engstrom M, Winham K, Gilbert L . Types and Characteristics of Childhood Sexual Abuse: How Do They Matter in HIV Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Women in Methadone Treatment in New York City? . Substance Use & Misuse . 51 . 3 . 277–94 . 2016 . 26886405 . 6385865 . 10.3109/10826084.2015.1058823 .
  18. Icard LD, Jemmott JB, Teitelman A, O'Leary A, Heeren GA . Mediation effects of problem drinking and marijuana use on HIV sexual risk behaviors among childhood sexually abused South African heterosexual men . Child Abuse & Neglect . 38 . 2 . 234–42 . February 2014 . 24041455 . 4075286 . 10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.08.002 .
  19. Pandor A, Kaltenthaler E, Higgins A, Lorimer K, Smith S, Wylie K, Wong R . Sexual health risk reduction interventions for people with severe mental illness: a systematic review . BMC Public Health . 15 . 1 . 138 . February 2015 . 25886371 . 4330652 . 10.1186/s12889-015-1448-4 . Shubulade Smith . free .
  20. Mullen PD, Ramírez G, Strouse D, Hedges LV, Sogolow E . Meta-analysis of the effects of behavioral HIV prevention interventions on the sexual risk behavior of sexually experienced adolescents in controlled studies in the United States . Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes . 30 . S94–S105 . July 2002 . Suppl 1 . 12107363 . 10.1097/00126334-200207011-00009 . free .
  21. Johnson BT, Scott-Sheldon LA, Huedo-Medina TB, Carey MP . Interventions to reduce sexual risk for human immunodeficiency virus in adolescents: a meta-analysis of trials, 1985-2008 . Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine . 165 . 1 . 77–84 . January 2011 . 21199984 . 4361805 . 10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.251 .
  22. Pedlow CT, Carey MP . HIV sexual risk-reduction interventions for youth: a review and methodological critique of randomized controlled trials . Behavior Modification . 27 . 2 . 135–90 . April 2003 . 12705104 . 2441937 . 10.1177/0145445503251562 .
  23. Caruthers AS, Van Ryzin MJ, Dishion TJ . Preventing high-risk sexual behavior in early adulthood with family interventions in adolescence: outcomes and developmental processes . Prevention Science . 15 Suppl 1 . S1 . S59-69 . February 2014 . 10.1007/s11121-013-0383-9 . 23536124 . 3749294 .

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