Circumcision Dose Not Promote Promiscuity in African Men: Study

Having a circumcision does not encourage risky sexual behavior in men, finds a study.

Earlier clinical researches found male circumcision brings down the likelihood of acquiring sexually-transmitted diseases in African men. But, many health experts oppose the findings fearing it may contribute reckless sexual behavior, unprotected sex and decrease in the usage of condoms. Scientists at the University of Illinois in Chicago looked at the data of 3,186 men aged between 18 and 35 from a voluntary medical circumcision program in Kenya. Half of the participants underwent circumcision and their sexual behaviors, frequency of condom usage and self-perceived risk rate of contracting HIV were noted down.

All subjects attended educational workshops on HIV and sexual health in clinic and counseling centers but did not receive direct health training and instructions. They were followed once every six months for two years.

At the end of the trial, both circumcised and uncircumcised men remained sexually active and used condoms. The study recorded a slight decline in number of people from both groups indulging in unprotected sex, having one-night stands with strangers or multiple partners.

 In addition, it was observed that men who were circumscribed assumed they were less susceptible for developing HIV. Over 30 percent of them thought their risk rate for HIV was high before having a circumcision and it came down to 14 percent after the procedure. This attitude of the participants did not induce any risky behavior. Also usage if condoms in both the groups increased.

"Countries that have been holding back on implementing medical circumcision programs due to a lack of evidence regarding risk compensation should have no concerns about scaling-up programs. It was very important to do a real life, population-level study to look at this question " said Nelli Westercamp, study author and former researcher at the University of Illinois, in a news release.

 "If men engaged in risky behaviors after circumcision, it could negate the protective effects," she adds.

"The study provides the best evidence to date that concerns about risk compensation should not impede widespread implementation of voluntary male medical circumcision programs," said Robert Bailey, senior author and professor of epidemiology at University of Illinois.

More information is available online in the journal AIDS and Behavior.