Title

Physical and sexual violence and incident sexually transmitted infections

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

4-1-2009

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. © 2009, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

Journal of Women's Health

Volume

18

Issue

4

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