Study: Oral sex linked to HIV risk

By Marcie Young
Diamondback Staff Writer, University of Maryland

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - It all comes down to a debate between what's considered sex and what isn't.

Many people, including University of Maryland students, don't consider oral sex "real" sex, nor do they consider it risky behavior. As a result, a recent study shows, many people are putting themselves at risk for diseases such as HIV and AIDS.

The study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that oral sex carries a real risk of contracting and spreading HIV and AIDS.

Although the study focused on a recently-infected gay population in San Francisco, HIV specialist for the CDC Kathryn Bina said that heterosexuals are also capable of contracting HIV through oral sex.

Of the 102 gay and bisexual men in the study, at least eight men probably contracted HIV through oral sex, according to the CDC. It's hard to track the number of orally transmitted HIV cases because people may also be participating in other forms of risky behavior, including anal and vaginal sex.

The study is the latest to confirm what many have long suspected: oral sex isn't safe sex.

"If you're a man or a woman and you're exposed to HIV orally, you're just as much at risk," Bina said.

Regardless of this, University Health Center Director Margaret Bridwell said campus students seem to see oral sex as safe sex.

"I don't think they're as concerned about getting HIV or AIDS from oral sex," she said. "They should be concerned about vaginal sex, but [oral sex] adds another dimension."

Many campus students said their peers express similar views. Since many don't consider oral sex risky behavior, they don't consider themselves at risk for HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases when they participate in unprotected fellatio or cunnilingus.

Brianna Jackson, a sophomore theater arts major, said some students don't see AIDS as a health risk when they participate in oral sex because they only consider vaginal intercourse as sex.

"I've talked to people about oral sex and it's getting pushed to second base," she said. "It's just a little bit of an advancement on a make-out session."

"AIDS has been beaten into people's heads," Jackson said. "It's not an issue when they have oral sex, and they don't worry about viruses."

Jenna Aubert, a senior French major and Sexual Health and Reproduction Education volunteer, agreed that many students think that oral sex is safe and don't consider it real sex.

"Everybody thinks it's safe because it's not intercourse, but it's sex. It's called oral sex," Aubert said. "People think it's a safe activity, but it's not."

Bill Degennaro, a senior government and politics major, said he thinks students consider oral sex real sex, but look at it more casually.

"It's very casual sex, and most guys wouldn't put on a condom because the burden of risk lies in the [person performing]," he said. "Plus the factor of alcohol [on a college campus] makes people not care."

Although the chances of transmitting the virus to someone through oral sex is considerably lower than anal or vaginal sex, it is still considered risky behavior, Bina said. Oral sex alone is considered a low-risk behavior, but many people increase their chances of contracting and transmitting HIV every time they participate in the activity.

"While they cut down on low-risk behavior like oral sex, but do it more often, the more at risk [they'll] be to contracting HIV or AIDS," Bina said.

Bina also said that while it is more risky to give oral sex than to receive it, both parties are at risk if they are unprotected and subject themselves to blood, semen and vaginal secretions. Precautions that can be taken include abstinence and the use of a latex condom for men or dental dam for women.

Bridwell added that although the risk of contacting HIV is not high, it's best to use caution.

"The risk is low, but you better be protected," she said.

Erica Bush, a senior accounting major and SHARE volunteer, said a lot of students are uncomfortable with buying condoms, and as a result are not using protection as often.

"I think there's so much embarrassment about it, and it keeps people from getting condoms in the first place," Bush said. "They're not comfortable talking to their partners and aren't prepared for it."

Bridwell also said the health center has pushed for more education.

Although people feel good about putting together an AIDS awareness week, she said HIV and AIDS education is something that people should be doing all the time. Most of the people the health center sees concerning HIV and AIDS are just scared, and not involved in really risky behavior.

She said this gives the health center an outlet to teach students about safer sex and the risks of HIV and AIDS. Bridwell said there's no way to know just how many people on the campus have HIV or AIDS. She said she assumes that HIV-positive students are going to off-campus clinics for treatment.

(C) 2000 The Diamondback