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• [1] Carol Roye November 30, 2007 - 11:54AM

  I am an HIV/AIDS-prevention researcher, a Professor of Nursing at Hunter College, and a pediatric nurse practitioner who does adolescent health. I was funded by the NIH, to develop a prevention program for Black and Latina urban female teens, (which is now available on video and DVD).

  The teenagers in our study completed a lengthy computer-based questionnaire. Data analysis found that more than 1/3 of the teens reported having engaged in (receptive) anal intercourse. The level of condom use during anal intercourse was significantly lower than the rate during vaginal intercourse. Although I have published many, many articles over the years, I was unable to get these findings published. This topic is completely taboo.

  I was put on the “NIH hit list” that Rep. Henry Waxman discovered several years ago – because my research promotes condom use by among sexually active teens.

  I have been unable to get additional federal funding to do more research to understand the context of this behavior, so we can develop HIV-prevention programs that target receptive anal intercourse by women.

  Women need this information. Anal intercourse has been a key transmission behavior among men who have sex with men. Yet, we are unwilling to provide safer sex information to women who engage in anal intercourse.

  Heterosexual anal intercourse is likely an important HIV transmission behavior for women, yet we are not getting that message out to the women who are at risk.