Changes in HIV-related preventive behavior in the US population: data from national surveys, 1987-2002

This study estimated 1987-2002 trends in preventive behaviors closely linked to HIV from several large health surveys providing the most recently available data. These behaviors include condom use, dual use of condoms with other contraceptive methods, and HIV testing. Condom use increased throughout the period for adolescents, but there is no evidence of overall increased condom use for adults after the mid-1990s. After 2000, adult condom use with primary partners was low even among those at highest risk. Dual use of condoms with other contraceptive methods was reported by a small and increasing percentage of adolescents and adults. By 2001 a high percentage of US adults reported having been tested at least once, and reproductive-age and pregnant women were tested at a greater rate than others. However, 1 in 4 pregnant women had never been tested for HIV. This review indicates that even after considerable increase in preventive behaviors, it is still possible to identify a relatively large segment of the population that is at risk for transmitting or acquiring HIV. Prevention programs serving high-risk populations need to work toward increasing safe sex practices with main partners and HIV testing among the never-tested, particularly reproductive-age women.