Who Won't Tell: Predictors of Refusal to Report Number of Sex Partners

Abstract

Data from 1475 respondents to a telephone survey are used to examine whether those who refused to report the number of their sex partners in the 12-month period prior to the interview are more likely to engage in HIV risk behaviours than those who did report this number. Logistic regression shows that refusal is associated with being single of low education (OR_adj = 8.0, 95% CI 2.7–23.7), using condoms in the last year (OR_adj = 4.2, 95% CI 1.6–11.1), self-reporting of HIV-risk behaviours (OR_adj = 3.6, 95% CI 1.3–9.6), and being male (OR_adj = 2.7, 95% CI 1.1–6.6). These associations apply only to a subsample of individuals who provided complete information for HIV risk and other related behaviours. Results from the total sample indicate that individuals in our study who did not report their number of partners are more likely to have characteristics that are compatible with a higher probability of HIV risk practices. This pattern of associations suggests that refusers are indeed at higher risk for HIV infection than those sexually active individuals who did report the number of partners.