Work

Physical and Sexual Violence and Incident Sexually Transmitted Infections

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether women aged 13-35 who were victims of interpersonal violence were more likely than nonvictims to experience incident sexually transmitted infections (STIs). METHODS: We examined 542 women aged 13-35 enrolled in Project PROTECT, a randomized clinical trial that compared two different methods of computer-based intervention to promote the use of dual methods of contraception. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire that included questions about their history of interpersonal violence and were followed for incident STIs over the 2-year study period. We compared the incidence of STIs in women with and without a history of interpersonal violence using bivariate analyses and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: In the bivariate analyses, STI incidence was found to be significantly associated with African American race/ethnicity, a higher number of sexual partners in the past month, and a lower likelihood of avoidance of sexual partners who pressure to have sex without a condom. In both crude and adjusted regression analyses, time to STI incidence was faster among women who reported physical or sexual abuse in the year before study enrollment (HRR(adj) = 1.68, 95% CI 1.06, 2.65). CONCLUSIONS: Women with a recent history of abuse are at significantly increased risk of STI incidence than are nonvictims.

Source: Journal of Women s Health

DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2007.0757

Authors: Jenifer E. Allsworth, Mallika Anand, Colleen A. Redding, Jeffrey F. Peipert

Institutions: Washington University in St. Louis, University of Rhode Island

Language: English

Topic: Intimate Partner and Family Violence

Subfield: Health

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Gender equality, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development