Online Program

295397
Marital status and sexually transmitted infection risk among non-injection and injection drug users


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Maria Khan, PhD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Joy Scheidell, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Charlottle Gaydos, MS, MPH, DrPH, Div Infectious Disease, Medicine, Johns Hopkins Univiversity, Baltimore, MD
Ashley Coatsworth, RN, Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
William Latimer, PhD, MPH, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
BACKGROUND: In US general-population samples, being married is protective against sexual risk-taking and sexually transmitted infection (STI). Research on the potential for marriage to protect against STI risk in vulnerable populations is limited. METHODS: Using data collected during the baseline visit of the Neuro-HIV Prevention Study (N=275), we estimated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between marital status and biologically-confirmed infection with trichomoniasis among street-recruited drug users in Baltimore City, MD. We also evaluated differences in sexual risk behaviors by marital status that may account for infection differences. RESULTS: A high prevalence of trichomoniasis was observed among those who were married (32.1%), single (17.0%), and divorced (17.8%). In analyses controlling for age, gender, race, education, and past six month cigarette smoking, crack smoking, and binge drinking, those who were currently married had nearly three times the odds of trichomoniasis than single/never married individuals, the referent (AOR: 2.90, 95% CI: 1.04, 8.12). Being divorced was not associated with trichomoniasis (AOR: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.49, 2.61). Married individuals had a higher lifetime number of casual partners (mean: 17 partners) than single individuals (mean: 13 partners) and higher levels of partnership concurrency defined as a history of sex with several casual partners during a three month period (married: 10.0%, single: 1.8%; p<0.001). Condom use and partner's non-monogamy was not associated with marital status. CONCLUSIONS: STI treatment and prevention efforts should reach both married and unmarried individuals in populations at elevated risk of infection such as drug users.

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Compare biologically-confirmed sexually transmitted infection and potential sexual behaviors that drive sexually transmitted infection among married, divorced, and single individuals among drug users in Baltimore City, MD

Keyword(s): Drug Abuse, STD

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have considerable experience in research focused on social and behavioral determinants of STI/HIV in vulnerable populations and have published extensively on the subject. I am currently funded to conduct a longitudinal cohort study examining the influence of dissolution of committed relationships during incarceration on HIV-related risk behaviors during community re-entry among African American males.
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.