OBJECTIVE: This NIMH funded study examines associations between intimate partner violence (IPV) and STD related risk factors among sexually active women receiving care at a low income, urban emergency department (ED). METHODS: Since November 2000, 336 women receiving ED services have been interviewed. The 20-minute, face-to-face interview covers demographics, sexual risk behaviors, STD/HIV history and current IPV using the CTS2. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate associations between IPV and STD related risk factors among women who reported having vaginal sex in the past 90 days (n=255). RESULTS: Most women were Latina (54%) or African American (38%). The average participant was 32 years old. One quarter (24%) of the women indicated that they experienced intimate physical or sexual abuse in the past year and 10% reported having had an STD in the past 6 months. After adjusting for age, ethnicity, and education multiple logistic regression analyses indicate that when compared to their counterparts, recently abused women were 3.2 times more likely to reported having had an STD in the past 6 months (CI=1.2 - 8.7); 2.9 times more likely to have had more than one sexual partner (CI=1.1 -7.6) and less likely to report using condoms at an almost significant level (CI=. 14-1.0); CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of recent IPV and STDS and the associations between IPV and STD related factors underscore the need for conducting routine screening of IPV and STDS among women receiving ED services and highlight the importance of rethinking partner notification protocols in IPV cases. See www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/sig
Learning Objectives: 1) To identify significant relationships between intimate partner violence and STD related factors among this sample of women recruited from an ED. 2) To draw three major implications of study findings for designing ED screening and referral protocols which address the co-occuring problems of intimate partner violence and STD risk.
Keywords: Domestic Violence, STD Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.