title: The relationship between multiple sex partners and anxiety, depression, and substance dependence disorders: a cohort study.
abstract: Changes in sexual behavior have resulted in longer periods of multiple serial or concurrent relationships. This study investigated the effects of multiple heterosexual partners on mental health, specifically, whether higher numbers of partners were linked to later anxiety, depression, and substance dependency. Data from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a prospective, longitudinal study of a birth cohort born in 1972-1973 in Dunedin, New Zealand were used. The relationship between numbers of sex partners over three age periods (18-20, 21-25, and 26-32 years) and diagnoses of anxiety, depression, and substance dependence disorder at 21, 26, and 32 years were examined, using logistic regression. Interaction by gender was examined. Adjustment was made for prior mental health status. There was no significant association between number of sex partners and later anxiety and depression. Increasing numbers of sex partners were associated with increasing risk of substance dependence disorder at all three ages. The association was stronger for women and remained after adjusting for prior disorder. For women reporting 2.5 or more partners per year, compared to 0-1 partners, the adjusted odd ratios (and 95 % CIs) were 9.6 (4.4-20.9), 7.3 (2.5-21.3), and 17.5 (3.5-88.1) at 21, 26, and 32 years, respectively. Analyses using new cases of these disorders showed similar patterns. This study established a strong association between number of sex partners and later substance disorder, especially for women, which persisted beyond prior substance use and mental health problems more generally. The reasons for this association deserve investigation.
authors: Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. sandhya.ramrakha@otago.ac.nz
authors: Sandhya
authors: S
authors: Ramrakha
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Paul
authors: Melanie L
authors: ML
authors: Bell
authors: Nigel
authors: N
authors: Dickson
authors: Terrie E
authors: TE
authors: Moffitt
authors: Avshalom
authors: A
authors: Caspi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*
references: Dev Psychol. 2010 Nov;46(6):1747-59
references: 20677862
references: Arch Sex Behav. 1985 Apr;14(2):131-9
references: 3994500
references: J Adolesc Health. 2000 Aug;27(2):102-11
references: 10899470
references: J Pers Disord. 2002 Feb;16(1):73-94
references: 11881162
references: Pediatrics. 1996 Jul;98(1):91-6
references: 8668418
references: J Behav Med. 1999 Feb;22(1):21-34
references: 10196727
references: Addiction. 1999 Aug;94(8):1209-18
references: 10615736
references: Arch Sex Behav. 2005 Oct;34(5):557-68
references: 16211477
references: Addict Behav. 2007 Apr;32(4):850-4
references: 16839696
references: Am J Prev Med. 2005 Oct;29(3):163-70
references: 16168864
references: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007 Oct;46(10):1272-1279
references: 17885568
references: Am J Public Health. 1999 Oct;89(10):1549-54
references: 10511838
references: AIDS Behav. 2007 Mar;11(2):227-37
references: 16802196
references: Am J Psychiatry. 2004 May;161(5):912-4
references: 15121659
references: Am J Psychiatry. 2005 Jun;162(6):1118-24
references: 15930060
references: J Adolesc Health. 2006 Sep;39(3):444.e1-8
references: 16919811
references: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1999 Jan;40(1):57-87
references: 10102726
references: J Pers Soc Psychol. 1998 Dec;75(6):1528-58
references: 9914665
references: Psychol Bull. 1989 May;105(3):374-86
references: 2660179
references: Health Psychol. 2001 Jul;20(4):291-9
references: 11515741
references: J Adolesc Health. 2006 May;38(5):609-11
references: 16635777
references: Sex Transm Dis. 1994 Jul-Aug;21(4):220-5
references: 7974074
references: J Youth Adolesc. 2008 Oct;37(9):1085-1096
references: 19802319
references: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007 Jan;46(1):15-24
references: 17195725
references: Arch Sex Behav. 2010 Jun;39(3):724-34
references: 19219545
references: J Adolesc Health. 1999 Nov;25(5):328-35
references: 10551663
references: Sex Transm Dis. 2001 May;28(5):281-4
references: 11354267
references: Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007 Dec;31(12):2046-52
references: 18034697
references: J Sex Res. 2003 Feb;40(1):13-26
references: 12806528
references: BMJ. 2000 Jul 29;321(7256):263-6
references: 10915126
references: J Stud Alcohol. 1999 Jan;60(1):54-63
references: 10096309
references: Sex Transm Dis. 2006 Dec;33(12):698-702
references: 17130805
references: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2002 Jun;156(6):599-606
references: 12038894
references: J Consult Clin Psychol. 1985 Dec;53(6):890-904
references: 4086689
references: Sex Transm Dis. 2003 Nov;30(11):818-24
references: 14603088
references: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003 Jul;60(7):709-17
references: 12860775
references: Drug Alcohol Depend. 2011 Jan 15;113(2-3):200-6
references: 20846794
references: Arch Sex Behav. 2006 Feb;35(1):37-52
references: 16502152
references: Arch Sex Behav. 1996 Jun;25(3):261-88
references: 8726551
references: Harv Rev Psychiatry. 1997 Jan-Feb;4(5):231-44
references: 9385000
references: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007 Jun;64(6):651-60
references: 17548747
references: J Pers Soc Psychol. 1997 Nov;73(5):1052-63
references: 9364760
references: Psychol Bull. 1993 Jul;114(1):29-51
references: 8346327
references: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006 Jun;160(6):591-5
references: 16754820
references: J Adolesc Health. 1999 Aug;25(2):109-19
references: 10447038
references: J Pers. 2000 Dec;68(6):1109-26
references: 11130734
references: J Adolesc Health. 2006 Oct;39(4):601-3
references: 16982400
references: Arch Sex Behav. 2007 Aug;36(4):477-507
references: 17610060
references: J Sch Health. 1993 Feb;63(2):104-8
references: 8479158
references: Annu Rev Sex Res. 2000;11:125-57
references: 11351830
references: J Pediatr Psychol. 2002 Jun;27(4):373-84
references: 11986360
references: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1981 Apr;38(4):381-9
references: 6260053