202330 Psychological distress: Does it lead to risky sexual practices in African-American female adolescents?

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Puja Seth, PhD , Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Shilpa N. Patel, MPH , Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA
Jessica Sales, PhD , Rollins School of Public Health Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Ralph J. DiClemente, PhD , Rollins School of Public Health and Center for AIDS Research, Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, GA
Gina M. Wingood, MPH ScD , Rollins School of Public Health Department of Health Sciences and Behavioral Education, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Eve S. Rose, MSPH , Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Background: Previous research has established the association between psychosocial factors and risky sexual practices. However, few studies have examined the role of psychological distress on risky sexual practices among African-American adolescents. The present study examined psychological distress as a predictor of risky sexual practices in African-American female adolescents.

Methods: A sample of African-American female adolescents (baseline: 715; 6-month: 612; 12-month: 605), 15-21 years, completed an ACASI assessing sociodemographics, psychological distress, and risky sexual practices. High levels of psychological distress were defined as ≥ 7 on the 8-item CES-D.

Results: Multiple logistic regression analyses, with age and intervention group as covariates, indicated that high levels of psychological distress predicted having a male partner with concurrent sexual partners (6-months: OR= 2.30, p=.00; 12-months: OR= 1.84, p=.01), sex while high on alcohol or drugs (OR= 1.78, p=.003; OR= 2.14, p=.00) at 6- and 12-months follow-up. Psychological distress also predicted no condom use with a casual partner (OR= 2.04, p=.05) or boyfriend (OR= 1.49, p=.04) during last sexual encounter, and alcohol use (OR= 1.79, p=.004) at 6-months follow-up, and sex with 2 or more men concurrently (OR= 4.48, p=.02) and having anal sex (OR= 1.53, p=.03) at 12-months follow-up.

Discussion: These findings suggest that screening and assessment of psychological distress should be a part of regular health care maintenance among African-American female adolescents engaging in high-risk sexual behavior. Since psychological resources can buffer against negative effects of psychological distress, it is pertinent to identify and intervene early rather than dismiss symptoms as transitory experiences.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify psychological distress as a predictor of risky sexual practices among African-American female adolescents. 2. Describe the importance of identifying psychological symptoms and providing effective coping mechanisms in HIV behavioral prevention programs. 3. Discuss the clinical implications of the relationship between psychological distress and risky sexual practices among African-American female adolescents

Keywords: Mental Health, Sexual Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a NIH postdoctoral research fellow at Emory University in the Rollin School of Public Health, where my training is focused on STI/HIV research with women and adolescents.
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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