ABSTRACT
This chapter provides basic comparative information about the numbers of sexual partners reported in the various population surveys recently carried out in Europe. For prevention, understanding how sexual practices and ways of adapting to HIV risk vary according to the characteristics of the partners and the dynamics and social context of their relationships, has become a key issue. Data about sexual partners are also necessary for modelling HIV transmission, although relevant indicators for such an approach have not been sufficiently developed in many population surveys. The chapter analyses the variations in numbers of sexual partners over different periods of time according to the respondent’s and his/her partner(s)’ genders. It examines the gap between males’ and females’ declarations in detail. The chapter focuses on multiple partnership, because this is a key issue in the context of AIDS. It also examines the characteristics such as age, level of education, place of residence, cohabitation status and relational status in detail.
