Those who believe the risk of HIV/AIDS

Those who indicated that they have been sexually active in the last year were then asked whether their practice regarding safer sex has changed over the last twelve months, and, if so, why. A minority (seven per cent) have changed their practice regarding safer sex in the past year, while the vast majority (91 per cent) have not.

Those who have changed their practice regarding safer sex cite a variety of reasons as to why. Just over one in four (26 per cent) indicated that they are more concerned now, while a smaller proportion (16 per cent) said that they are less concerned. Others stated that they have changed their practices as they are now better informed (17 per cent), have only one partner (14 per cent), have more partners (five per cent), or are trying to get pregnant (eight per cent).

• The likelihood of having changed practices with respect to safer sex decreases with age, from 18 per cent of those under 25 to zero per cent for senior citizens. It also decreases with income, from 17 per cent of those earning less than $20,000 to two per cent of individuals earning $80,000 or more.
  
• Individuals reporting casual and multiple partners are also somewhat more likely to report that their practice has recently changed (16 to 18 per cent among those with casual partners and reporting two partners, and 22 per cent among those reporting three partners).
  
• Those with no children are also more likely to indicate that they have changed their practice regarding safer sex in the past year (nine per cent have), likely driven by age of the respondent.
  
• Those who believe the risk of HIV/AIDS has increased in the last five years, and who rate their knowledge level as high, are also more likely to have altered their practice in the last year (10 and 11 per cent, respectively).