Abstract
To inform the development of HIV-prevention rectal douches, we reviewed the scientific literature and online instructional videos on rectal douching associated with receptive anal intercourse (RAI). Up to 88% of men who practice RAI ever have douched, while 43–64% have douched recently. Of them, 87–97% douche before RAI and 13–48% afterwards. Water, occasionally mixed with soap or salt, is used most often, although up to 31% of men use commercial products. Douching is more common among individuals reporting substance use, sexually transmitted infections, or being HIV-infected. Scant literature is available on women’s rectal douching practices, but it is apparently less frequent than among men (32 vs. 70%). Videos advise using 2–3 doses of liquid and retaining it for 10–30 s before expelling. These findings can inform the development of a safe and acceptable rectal douche for HIV prevention.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1288-1294 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | AIDS and behavior |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 1 2018 |
Keywords
- Enema
- HIV prevention
- Men who have sex with men
- Microbicides
- Rectal douche
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Psychology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Infectious Diseases