Sexual Health Indicators Among Young Adults Living with HIV/AIDS: A Gender-Stratified Analysis

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at Paris-Saclay University have conducted a study to understand sexual health among young adults living with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) in France. The study, part of the ANRS-COVERTE-CO19 cohort, aimed to compare sexual health indicators among PHIV adults aged 18 to 25 with their peers in the general population. The findings highlighted that PHIV participants showed similar results for most sexual health outcomes, except for PHIV women, who reported less sex life satisfaction and more voluntary abortion.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study involved 284 PHIV participants from the ANRS-COVERTE-CO19 cohort, enrolled from 2010 to 2015, and 2,899 and 1,633 participants from the Barometre Sante surveys (BS) conducted in 2010 and 2016, respectively.
  • PHIV participants demonstrated similar results for current romantic relationship, previous sexual experiences, same-sex sexual partners, age at first intercourse, and condom use at first sexual intercourse.
  • PHIV women were less likely to report a satisfactory sex life (86% vs. 94%) and more likely to report voluntary abortion (16% vs. 12%).
  • HIV disclosure was associated with a higher likelihood of reporting current romantic relationship in women (aOR 4.40 [1.94-9.95]) and satisfactory sex life in men (aOR 4.68 [1.29-17.04]).
  • The COVERTE study received approval from the CPP III (n°2738), and the BS surveys were approved by the CNIL (n°915589).

Statistics:

  • 284 PHIV participants were involved in the study from the ANRS-COVERTE-CO19 cohort.
  • 2,899 and 1,633 participants from the Barometre Sante surveys (BS) were involved in the study.
  • PHIV women reported less sex life satisfaction (86% vs. 94%).
  • PHIV women were more likely to report voluntary abortion (16% vs. 12%).
  • HIV disclosure was associated with a higher likelihood of reporting current romantic relationship in women (aOR 4.40 [1.94-9.95]) and satisfactory sex life in men (aOR 4.68 [1.29-17.04]).

Sources:

  • (1) Sexual health indicators among young adults living with perinatally-acquired HIV in france, a gender-stratified comparison with their peers in the general population. BMC Public Health, 2025;25(1):3442.
  • (2) NewsRx. New Findings from Paris-Saclay University Describe Advances in HIV/AIDS (Sexual health indicators among young adults living with perinatally-acquired HIV in france, a gender-stratified comparison with their peers in the general population). AIDS Weekly. October 20, 2025; p 97.