MAIN POINTS

1
RECTAL DOUCHES OR ENEMAS IMPLICATIONS FOR
RECTAL MICROBICIDES Alex Carballo-Diéguez, Ph.D.,
José A. Bauermeister, Ph.D., and Ana Ventuneac,
M.A. HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral
Studies New York State Psychiatric Institute and
Columbia University New York, NY, USA
MAIN POINTS
INTRODUCTION

• Rectal douching prior to intercourse may have
  damaging effects on the rectal mucosa. This
  could confound or even cancel out the potentially
  protective effects of a rectal microbicide.

• We sought to describe the prevalence of rectal
  douching among those men most likely to benefit
  from a future rectal microbicide men who have
  intentional condomless anal sex with other men in
  risky circumstances (barebacking).

METHODS
RESULTS

• Population Men in New York City, US, who seek
  other men for intentional unprotected receptive
  anal intercourse (URAI) were recruited
  exclusively over the Internet. Subsequently,
  they were interviewed in person at the research
  office.
• Methods We used CASI that included questions on
  sexual behavior and rectal douches or enema use.
• Sample N 105 Two-thirds of our sample were
  racial/ethnic minorities. Participants had a
  mean age of 33 years, some college education (M
  14.77), and an average income of 27,000.
  Twenty-seven men (26) reported being
  HIV-positive.

• Douching Prevalence
• Two-thirds of respondents (64) used rectal
  douches in preparation for sex.
• A quarter of respondents used rectal douches
  after sex.
• HIV-positive men (96) were more likely to report
  douching before sex than HIV-negative men (53).
• Being HIV-positive was associated with
• Greater number of douching occasions in the past
  6 months (OR 3.00)
• Greater number of URAI occasions in the past 2
  months (OR 4.48)
• Having at least 1 serodiscordant partner in the
  past 2 months (OR 2.33 )

CONCLUSIONS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was supported by a
NIMH grant (R01-69333 PI, Alex Carballo-Diéguez,
Ph.D) and a NIMH center grant (P30-MH43520 PI
Anke A. Ehrhardt, Ph.D.). Dr. Bauermeister is
supported by a NIMH training grant (T32-MH19139
Behavioral Sciences Research in HIV Infection
PI Anke A. Ehrhardt, Ph.D.)
Drop your card here to receive the full report.