Young men and women who suffer from depression are much more likely than their non-depressed peers to have multiple sex partners in a given year.
Young men and women who suffer from depression are much more likely than their non-depressed peers to have multiple sex partners in a given year. Also, being depressed may increase the likelihood of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
To measure associations among depression, sexual risk behaviours, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) among youth, researchers identified 8,794 Americans who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which began in 1995, when participants were in 7th to 12th grade. The participants were interviewed at home regarding multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use in the past year and a urine specimen tested for a current positive test result for chlamydia, gonorrhoea or trichomonas infection. The researchers took into consideration factors like age, education level and income while interpreting the results.
Their findings revealed that recent or chronic depression in adulthood was more common in blacks (women, 19.3%; men, 11.9%) than whites (women, 13.0%; men, 8.1%) and its presence was associated with multiple sexual partners in all groups.
For both genders, being depressed was associated with a greater likelihood of having multiple sex partners, although it didn't have an effect on whether or not people used condoms. But black men were the only group for whom recent or chronic depression increased the likelihood of an STI with depressed black men nearly twice as likely to contract an STI.
The above findings provide evidence that youth at high risk for STI also experience a disproportionate risk of depression, highlighting the need for improved integration of mental health and STI diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
To measure associations among depression, sexual risk behaviours, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) among youth, researchers identified 8,794 Americans who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which began in 1995, when participants were in 7th to 12th grade. The participants were interviewed at home regarding multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use in the past year and a urine specimen tested for a current positive test result for chlamydia, gonorrhoea or trichomonas infection. The researchers took into consideration factors like age, education level and income while interpreting the results.
Their findings revealed that recent or chronic depression in adulthood was more common in blacks (women, 19.3%; men, 11.9%) than whites (women, 13.0%; men, 8.1%) and its presence was associated with multiple sexual partners in all groups.
For both genders, being depressed was associated with a greater likelihood of having multiple sex partners, although it didn't have an effect on whether or not people used condoms. But black men were the only group for whom recent or chronic depression increased the likelihood of an STI with depressed black men nearly twice as likely to contract an STI.
The above findings provide evidence that youth at high risk for STI also experience a disproportionate risk of depression, highlighting the need for improved integration of mental health and STI diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
COMMENT
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.
