Table 3

Summary of results for studies assessing number of partners before and after testing for HIV

StudyOutcome measureSample sizeBaseline value of outcomeChange after testingFollow-up time (months)p Value
Multiple partnerships and concurrency
Gray et al192+ partners in last year2474 (circumcised)34.5%1.0% increase24NR
2522 (uncircumcised)34.1%1.3% increase
Wawer et al222+ partners in last year648 (with circumcised partners)3.5%0.1% decrease24NR
597 (with uncircumcised partners)3.7%0.9% increase
Ramjee et al282+ partners in last 3 months9581.7%1.0% decrease12NR
Djomand et al312+ partners in last 6 months33 (females)66.7%58.0% decrease12NR
4+ partners in last 6 months64 (males)21.9%16.9% decrease
Ndase et al23Concurrency in last month2284 (males)4.1%2.6% increase24NR
1097 (females)0.5%No changeNR
Sex with outside partner in last month2284 (males)4.3%14.8% increase<0.001
1097 (females)0.5%3.5% increase<0.001
Ruzagira et al21Extramarital sex in last year49535.7%8.3% increase24NR
Monogamy or no partners
Ndase et al23Sex with HIV+ primary partner only2284 (males)90.1%23.8% decrease24NR
1097 (females)91.6%18.1% decreaseNR
Gray et al19No partners in last year2474 (circumcised)18.9%5.5% decrease24NR
2522 (uncircumcised)19.6%5.0% decrease
Wawer et al22No partners in last year648 (with circumcised partners)0.0%0.5% increase24NR
597 (with uncircumcised partners)0.3%0.1% decrease
Ramjee et al28No partners in last 3 months9580.0%5.9% increase12<0.01
Number of partners
Kalichman et al27Mean number of partners in last 30 days

29 (seroconverters)2.2Relative decrease by 59.1%12<0.01
77 (persistently HIV-negative)1.7Relative decrease by 23.5%
Van Damme et al30Number of partners in past week21201.0Relative decrease of 14%12<0.001
  • Baseline percentages are calculated as the percentage of people reporting a given outcome. Changes after testing represent absolute changes unless explicitly reported as relative.

  • NR, not reported.