High-risk sexual behavior

This diagnosis code indicates that a patient engages in sexual activities that significantly increase their risk of acquiring or transmitting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or experiencing other adverse health outcomes. It signifies a behavioral pattern rather than a specific disease or condition. This can include practices such as unprotected sex with multiple partners, sex with high-risk partners, or transactional sex.

This code is appropriate for documenting a patient's self-reported or clinically identified high-risk sexual behaviors during an encounter. It should be used when the primary purpose of the visit or a significant part of the assessment involves counseling, screening, or intervention related to these behaviors. This code supports medical necessity for services like STI screening, contraception counseling, or harm reduction strategies.

• Always ensure documentation clearly supports the presence of high-risk sexual behavior.
• This code is often used in conjunction with codes for specific STIs (if present) or for counseling services.
• Do not use this code if the patient is merely being screened for STIs without documented high-risk behavior.