Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Disabil Rehabil. 2010;32(6):438-43. doi: 10.3109/09638280902846368.
Risky sexual behaviour is a major factor contributing to the increasing prevalence of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. A large national survey of adolescent's sexual behaviour was undertaken in 2002, however adolescents with disabilities were excluded from this study. The aim of this study is to compare the sexual behaviours of adolescents with physical disabilities to those of their non-disabled peers.
A cross-sectional sample was drawn from learners with physical disabilities between grades 8 and 9 in Cape Town. Data were collected using the South African youth risk behaviour survey adapted by the medical research council of South Africa.
There were responses from 91 participants, of which 56% were males. Approximately, one quarter of the special school sample reported sexual activity compared with one third of the national sample; the difference approached significance. As with the national sample, relatively few adolescents thought they were likely to contract HIV in their lifetime (12%). Fifty percent of the sample claimed that they were able to protect themselves against contracting HIV compared with 66% of the adolescents without disability. The percentage reporting two or more sexual partners in the special schools (27%) was about half that of the national sample (53%). There was little difference in the percentages reporting substance abuse related to sexual activity (14% compared with 15%) and the national sample reported more regularly use of condoms (Special school 18% compared with 25%).
Disabled adolescents are indulging in risky sexual behaviours, and are at equal risk as their non-disabled peers of developing HIV.
Adolescents with disability must not be excluded from main stream research and health promotion activities specifically related to sex education.
性行为风险是导致南非艾滋病毒/艾滋病感染率不断上升的主要因素之一。2002 年，南非曾对青少年性行为进行了一次大规模全国性调查，但该研究排除了残疾青少年。本研究旨在比较身体残疾青少年和非残疾同龄人之间的性行为。
从开普敦八年级和九年级的身体残疾学习者中抽取了一个横断面样本。数据收集采用南非青年风险行为调查，由南非医学研究理事会改编。
共有 91 名参与者做出了回应，其中 56%为男性。大约四分之一的特殊学校样本报告有过性行为，而全国样本中这一比例为三分之一；差异接近显著。与全国样本一样，相对较少的青少年认为他们一生中有可能感染艾滋病毒（12%）。50%的样本声称他们能够保护自己免受艾滋病毒感染，而没有残疾的青少年这一比例为 66%。报告在特殊学校有两个或两个以上性伴侣的比例（27%）约为全国样本的一半（53%）。报告与性活动有关的药物滥用的百分比（14%比 15%）差异不大，全国样本报告的避孕套使用频率更高（特殊学校 18%比 25%）。
残疾青少年正在从事危险的性行为，他们与非残疾同龄人一样有感染艾滋病毒的风险。
残疾青少年不能被排除在主流研究和专门针对性教育的健康促进活动之外。
