Longitudinal Predictors of HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): Gender, Depression & Substance Use

Objectives: To determine longitudinal predictors of HIV/STIs from adolescence to young adulthood, across ethnic groups. Methods: Data were derived from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health Wave I (1995, ages 12-18) and Wave III (2001, ages 18-25) from among White (N=6,111), Latino (N=1,315), African American (N=1,284), and Asian (N=832) adolescents transitioning to young adulthood. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios to assess whether changes of depression and history of substance use were associated with self-reported STI diagnosis. Results: Among whites, increased depression between adolescence and young adults was associated with higher odds of STI (OR: 1.06. CI: 1.03-1.09). (OR: 1.06. CI: 1.03-1.09). For this group, history of cigarette smoking (OR: 1.8 CI: 1.21-2.70), and alcohol use (OR: 1.4, CI: 1.01-1.94) were also significant predictors. There was no evidence that increased depression was a significant predictor for increased STI among other ethnic groups. Among African Americans, history of alcohol use (OR: 1.7, CI: 1.11-2.56) and marijuana use (OR: 2.9, CI: 1,50-5.51) were significantly associated with STIs. Being female was significantly and consistently associated with HIV/STIs among all ethnic groups. Conclusions: Understanding the ethnic variation of the impact of increased depression and the history of substance use as predictors of HIV/STIs among adolescents is vital as adolescents continue to constitute a disproportionate burden of such infections. Regardless of ethnicity, women were significantly more likely than men to be diagnosed with STIs. Policy prevention to reduce STIs among adolescents needs to account for ethnic and gender differences.