The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #63001

Laura F. Salazar, PhD¹, Ralph J. DiClemente, PhD¹, Gina M. Wingood, ScD, MPH², Richard Crosby, PhD, MA³, and Delia Lang, PhD, MPH¹. (1) Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd. 5th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30322, (404) 681-0370, lfsalaz@sph.emory.edu, (2) Rollins School of Public Health, Dept of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, (3) Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322

The psychological sequelae of biologically confirmed sexually transmitted disease (STD) for African American adolescent females have not been examined despite their disproportionate risk for both STD infection and depression. The purpose of this study was to determine if STD diagnosis is an antecedent to depressive symptomatology among high-risk African American adolescent females. A prospective cohort study based on a randomized controlled trial of an HIV/STD prevention intervention provided data. The study cohort was comprised of a subset of 175 African America female adolescents (aged 14 to 18) recruited from multiple sites within neighborhoods of Birmingham, AL, who were participants in the non-intervention arm of the trial. Depressive symptoms were compared between adolescents who tested positive for at least one of three biologically-confirmed STDs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis) and those who tested STD negative across three time points: baseline, 6-months, and 12-months. Repeated measures analysis of variance, controlling for age, identified between-group differences in depressive symptoms over time (P = .016). Univariate tests showed at 6-month follow-up adolescents who had received an STD diagnosis had significantly higher depressive symptoms (Meanadjusted = 7.94) than adolescents who tested STD negative (Meanadjusted = 5.56; P =.013). Data suggest that depressive symptomatology can be explained partially by STD diagnosis. African American adolescent females are at disproportionate risk for STD infection underscoring the need for follow-up screening for depression among this population. Future research examining the mechanism by which depressive symptoms manifest is needed before appropriate changes are made to clinical practice and policy.

Learning Objectives:

After this session, participants will be able to (
• describe the association between sexually transmitted disease and depressive symptomatology among African American adolescent females; (
• describe the trajectory of depressive symptoms following sexually transmitted disease diagnosis, and (
• discuss the potential mechanisms through which sexually transmitted disease diagnosis affects depressive symptoms.

Keywords: STD, Child/Adolescent Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.