Differences in sexually transmitted diseases among adults with and without disabilities

Background. People with disabilities are at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) because they: (1) are at increased risk to be victims of sexual violence; (2) are mistakenly believed to be sexually inactive and therefore are often excluded from sexual education; and, (3) mobility and sensory impairment may limit the ability of women with disabilities to identify symptoms indicating an STD such as vaginal discharge and rashes. There is a paucity of information on the prevalence of STDs among people with disabilities. We analyzed national surveillance data to quantify STD prevalence among adults with disabilities compared to those without disabilities to fill this gap.

Methods. Data from the 2003--2007 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) were used to estimate prevalence of STDs among adults with and without disabilities. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses were used to assess differences in STD infection by disability status.

Results. Adults with disabilities were more likely than those without disabilities to report STDs (4.1% vs. 1.7%; aOR=2.10; p<0.001). STD prevalence was higher for adults with disabilities than those without among women, blacks, unmarried persons and persons aged 18-24 years. Adults with hearing impairment were the disability group reporting the highest prevalence of STDs (6.1%). Conclusions. This epidemiologic evidence identifies an opportunity for federal, state, and local stakeholders to form new partnerships to better align disability and STD prevention programs and policies. Furthermore, it identifies the need for comprehensive STD prevention programs to enhance public awareness and increase resource allocation to reduce disparities in STD prevalence.