title: Relationship of psychological distress and unprotected sex among individuals with HIV seeking mental health care.
abstract: This study examined the prevalence of sexual behavior and its relationship with psychological distress among individuals with HIV who were seeking mental health care. Upon self-enrollment in HIV-related mental health care, 845 participants completed self-assessments of demographics, psychological distress, and sexual behaviors. Participants were categorized by sexual risk as determined by their reported unprotected sexual activity within the previous 30 days: receptive anal or vaginal sex (high-risk), insertive anal or vaginal sex (moderate-risk), oral sex (low-risk), and no sex (no-risk). The majority of the sample was classified as no-risk, 11% low-risk, 5% moderate-risk, and 17% were high-risk. Levels of psychological distress did not differ across risk levels. Overall psychological distress levels were elevated, 19% of the sample expressed severe distress. Use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and no-AIDS diagnosis predicted high-risk sexual behaviors. A substantial proportion of the sample reported engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors, which signifies the need to further incorporate sex-related prevention efforts among HIV-infected populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, USA. shachame@epi.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Enbal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shacham
authors.forename: Tania B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Basta
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reece
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data