Depression, risky sex behavior linked in African-American youth
Providence, RI – A new study from the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center and Brown Medical School reveals that African American teens with symptoms of depression are more than four times likely to engage in risky sexual behavior (i.e. not wear condoms).
This is one of the first studies that looks at African American teens of both genders and from more than one geographic location. It concludes that depressive symptoms (feeling lonely, feeling blue, feelings of worthlessness etc.) can indicate future sexual risk.
The findings appear in the current online edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health.
"This means that clinicians should assess symptoms of depression in African American patients as an indicator of future sexual risk, and HIV intervention programs should be designed as to address depression, especially in this population," says lead author, Larry K. Brown, MD, a child psychiatrist with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center and Brown Medical School.
Four hundred and fifteen African American adolescents and young adults (15–21 years of age) from Atlanta and Providence, who had had unprotected sex within the past ninety days, participated in this study.
Over 3 million new cases of STIs occur among teenagers each year in the United States, with people under the age of 25 accounting for half of all new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. African Americans are at particular risk. In 2003 African Americans represented approximately twelve percent of the U.S. population, but, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), made up fifty percent of HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed. Such prevalence reflects the high rates of HIV risk behaviors among African American teenagers.
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Providence, RI – A new study from the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center and Brown Medical School reveals that African American teens with symptoms of depression are more than four times likely to engage in risky sexual behavior (i.e. not wear condoms).
This is one of the first studies that looks at African American teens of both genders and from more than one geographic location. It concludes that depressive symptoms (feeling lonely, feeling blue, feelings of worthlessness etc.) can indicate future sexual risk.
The findings appear in the current online edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health.
"This means that clinicians should assess symptoms of depression in African American patients as an indicator of future sexual risk, and HIV intervention programs should be designed as to address depression, especially in this population," says lead author, Larry K. Brown, MD, a child psychiatrist with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center and Brown Medical School.
Four hundred and fifteen African American adolescents and young adults (15–21 years of age) from Atlanta and Providence, who had had unprotected sex within the past ninety days, participated in this study.
Over 3 million new cases of STIs occur among teenagers each year in the United States, with people under the age of 25 accounting for half of all new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. African Americans are at particular risk. In 2003 African Americans represented approximately twelve percent of the U.S. population, but, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), made up fifty percent of HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed. Such prevalence reflects the high rates of HIV risk behaviors among African American teenagers.
Click Here To Read Entire Article
Destee