title: Sexual risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infection prevalence in an outpatient psychiatry clinic.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0007, USA.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Waithaka
authors.forename: Inmaaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aban
authors.forename: Jianfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Sijian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hook
authors.forename: Laura H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Bachmann
mesh_terms: 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