Sexual risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infection prevalence in an outpatient psychiatry clinic.
BACKGROUND
Nearly 3% of Americans experience severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) and behaviors that place affected individuals at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are common. Few data describe the prevalence of risk behaviors or STI among persons with SPMI. We aim to quantitate STI/human immunodeficiency virus risk and determine the STI prevalence amongst outpatient psychiatric clinic attendees.


METHODS
Psychiatric outpatients were approached to participate in an interviewer-administered survey collecting data on their sexual history, psychiatric history, and risk behaviors. Females submitted self-collected vaginal swabs, whereas males submitted urine to be tested for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Trichomonas vaginalis (women only).


RESULTS
The prevalence of N. gonorrhoeae was 1%, C. trachomatis 3.3% and T. vaginalis 15.7%. Exchanging sex for drugs was the only behavior independently associated with having an STI in this population.


CONCLUSIONS
Taking a sexual history in persons with SPMI is important. Those engaging in high-risk behavior should be routinely screened for STI/human immunodeficiency virus allowing for detection, treatment, and preventive education.
King
Cynthia
C
Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0007, USA.
Feldman
Jacqueline
J
Waithaka
Yvonne
Y
Aban
Inmaaculada
I
Hu
Jianfang
J
Zhang
Sijian
S
Hook
Edward
E
Bachmann
Laura H
LH
D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000818:Animals; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015995:Prevalence; D011570:Psychiatry; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification