181462 Mediating role of partner communication skills on HIV/STD-associated risk behaviors in African American female adolescents with high depressive symptomatology

Monday, October 27, 2008: 4:45 PM

Jessica Sales, PhD , Rollins School of Public Health Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Ralph DiClemente, PhD , Rollins School of Public Health and Center for AIDS Research, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Gina M. Wingood, ScD MPH , Rollins School of Public Health and Center for AIDS Research, Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, GA
Eve Rose, MSPH , Rollins School of Public Health Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Colleen P. Crittenden Murray, DrPH , Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA
Joshua Spitalnick, PhD , Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
     
Background: Depression in adolescents has been associated with HIV-associated sexual behaviors. However, little is known about factors that might influence the relationship between depression and sexual risk in this population. This study explored whether partner communication skills serve as a mediator between depression and sexual risk- taking among African American female adolescents.

Method: Data were collected from 701 African American adolescent females (14-20 years) seeking services at reproductive health clinics in the Southeastern U.S. Sociodemographics, depression symptoms assessed by the CES-D, partner communication skills, and self-reported behavioral data related to condom use were collect via ACASI during baseline assessment, prior to adolescents' randomization and participation in an HIV prevention trial. Regression models were constructed exploring mediation effects.

Results: Controlling for sociodemographics, adolescents with high levels of depressive symptoms on the CES-D reported significantly lower rates of condom use in the past 90 days and past 6 months relative to adolescents with low levels of depressive symptoms. Partner communication self-efficacy mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and proportion of condom use in the past 6 months, such that adolescents with higher communication self-efficacy had higher rates of condom protected sex. Partial mediation was observed for proportion of condom use in the past 90 days.

Conclusions: Depression is significantly associated with sexual risk-taking in African American adolescent females. Importantly, partner communication skills mediate the relationship between depression and condom use. Based on our findings, improving partner communications skills is an important area for HIV/STD-risk reduction interventions for adolescents with significant depressive symptomatology.

Learning Objectives:
Learning objectives: •Examine the association between depression and sexual risk taking in African American adolescent females. •Explore whether partner communication skills mediate the relationship between depression and sexual risk taking in this sample. •Discuss implications for HIV/STD risk reduction interventions.

Keywords: Depression, Sexual Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Research Associate Professor in Behavioral Science and Health Education, with a primary research focus on adolescent sexual behavior and adolescent risk-reduction interventions.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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