["Safe sex" among HIV-positive heterosexual couples]

To investigate the use of condoms ("safe sex") as prevention of transmission with human immuno deficiency virus (hiv) among heterosexual couples, 57 hiv-positive heterosexual patients and their partners if there was one interviewed. Forty-three of the 57 patients were heterosexually infected. Five out of 30 patients involved in a relationship (defined as living together for at least three months) used condoms inconsistently. One of these couples was still discordant. Of the remaining 27 patients without steady partners two used condoms inconsistently. The patients expressed great satisfaction at being given the possibility of talking about problems regarding hiv-transmission and sexuality. In conclusion a discrepancy was found between knowledge about transmission of hiv and the use of condoms among heterosexual couples.