Download Sexual Risk Assessment

2011
HIV Risk Assessment Guide
Tips for Conducting a Successful
Risk Assessment
Prevention for Positives
Risk assessment specific to sexually transmitted and
blood borne diseases is critical in the era of HIV
infection. Risk assessment should be done on a
regular basis and with every new client. This survey
was created to help foster appropriate
communications.
continued risk for re-infection of HIV or other STDs.
While rare, multiple strains of HIV exist and can
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Begin by assuring confidentiality and telling the
client why this survey is so important.
Avoid any “why” statements to reduce judgmental
tones.
Ask direct questions about specific behaviors.
Exploratory questions may help, especially with
teenagers.
Honest responses may be more forthcoming if the
behaviors are normalized.
o e.g., “Some of my clients who use drugs inject them,
do you inject drugs?”
Sexual Risk Assessment
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Direct and non-judgmental questions are best:
o “Do you have sex with men, women or both?”
o “Do you have oral sex?”
o “What do you know about the sexual activities of
your partners?”
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Ask for an explanation of sexual practices:
o “When you say you had sex, what exactly do you
mean?”
o “I don’t know what you mean, could you explain...?”
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Do not assume anything:
o Marriage does not always mean monogamous or
heterosexual sex.
o People who identify as homosexual may also have
heterosexual sex, and vice versa.
Many HIV positive individuals are not aware of their
cause severe health outcomes. The following
questions may arise:
Q: My partner and I are both HIV positive, should I
use a condom?
A: Yes. HIV re-infection is a potential consequence of
unprotected sexual encounters between two HIV infected
people.
Q: How does re-infection affect me?
A: There are several strains of HIV. When exposed to
medications, HIV changes or mutates over time. If a person
is re-infected with a strain of HIV that is different from the
strains already present, current medications may no longer
work, and subsequent treatment will be much more
complex.
Q: What if I already had unprotected sex?
A: Introduce condoms into your sex life and let your
physician know about your concerns with re-infection as
soon as you can.
PROPOSAL TITLE
Harm Reduction and Prevention
Definitions and Clarification
A PROPOSAL TO
It is often important to define certain
words or phrases
CLIENT:
for the client so they fully understand the questions
CLIENT
being asked.
Harm Reduction:
Month Day Year
A pragmatic approach that seeks to reduce or minimize
the adverse health consequences associated with drug use
or sexual interactions. Examples include: only sharing
needles with one partner, using fewer drugs and less often,
or only having sex with people the patient knows.
Prevention:
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Use specific terms:
o Use “men who have sex with men” or “women who
have sex with women” instead of gay. Some men do
not identify themselves as gay even if they practice
anal insertive sex with another man.
In contrast to harm reduction, prevention is a more robust,
but potentially less pragmatic, approach. Examples include
always using a condom during sex, practicing abstinence,
avoiding all drug use, and not engaging in risky behaviors.
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