Biomarker evaluation of self-reported condom use among women in HIV-discordant couples. (July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mose, F; Newman, LP; Njunguna, R; Tamooh, H; John-Stewart, G; Farquhar, C; Kiarie, J
• Is Part Of: International journal of STD & AIDS. Volume 24:Number 7(2013)
• Page Start: 537
• Page End: 540
• Publication Date: 2013-07
• Subjects: HIV -- AIDS -- transmission -- prevention -- condom use -- self-reported -- semen exposure -- biomarker -- prostate-specific antigen -- PSA -- women -- discordant couples -- sexual behaviour; Sexually transmitted diseases -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Periodicals; 616.951
• DOI: 10.1177/0956462412473892
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-4624

Abstract

Summary: Self-reported condom use is a commonly collected statistic, yet its use in research studies may be inaccurate. We evaluated this statistic among women in HIV-discordant couples enrolled in a clinical trial in Nairobi, Kenya. Vaginal swabs were acquired from 125 women and tested for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a biomarker for semen exposure, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ten (10%) of 98 women who reported 100% use of condoms in the previous month tested PSA positive. In a bivariate logistic regression analysis, among women who reported 100% condom use in the previous month, those with ≤8 years of school had significantly higher odds of testing PSA-positive (odds ratio [OR] = 8.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–69.13) than women with more schooling. Our estimate may be conservative, as the ability to detect PSA may be limited to 24–48 hours after exposure. Less educated women may be a target group for counselling regarding reporting sexual behaviour in clinical trials.