Relationships among depressive symptoms, sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy in African-American adolescent girls.
OBJECTIVE
To explore relationships among depressive symptoms, sexually transmitted infections (STI), and pregnancy in African-American adolescent girls.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review.


METHODS
A hospital-based outpatient practice serving primarily African-American patients.


METHODS
A total of 126 female patients ages 13-19 years who had ligase chain reaction (LCR) for N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis.


METHODS
Charts were reviewed for history of STI, history of pregnancy, LCR results, and a history of depressive symptoms as indicated by standardized provider notes and patient self-administered questionnaire. Data are compared using Fisher's exact test.


RESULTS
Mean age was 16.6 years (+/-1.6 years); 19.8% of participants had a history of depressive symptoms, 40.5% had a history of STI, 8.7% had a prior pregnancy, and 18.2% had a positive LCR. Of patients with a history of depressive symptoms, 64% had a history of STI compared to 34.6% of those without depressive symptoms (P = 0.01). A positive LCR was found in 20% of patients with a history of depressive symptoms and 17.8% of patients without (P = 0.78). Of patients with a history of depressive symptoms, 12% had a prior pregnancy compared to 7.9% without such history (P = 0.45).


CONCLUSIONS
African-American adolescent females in our clinic with a history of depressive symptoms were more likely to have a history of STI. A greater percentage of patients with a history of depressive symptoms also had prior pregnancies and/or current STI. Sexually active adolescent girls should be screened for depressive symptoms as part of their evaluation for sexual risk behaviors.
Lee
S H
SH
Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. sara.lee@uhhospitals.org
O'Riordan
M A
MA
Lazebnik
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D055815:Young Adult