Clinical depression and HIV risk-related sexual behaviors among African-American adolescent females: Unmasking the numbers

Abstract

Clinically depressed and nondepressed African-American adolescent females aged 13–19 years (N=131) were interviewed and surveyed to determine the relationship between depression and HIV risk-related sexual behaviors. Narratives indicate that the psychopathology of depression may create situations where the target population could become exposed to HIV. Specifically, depressed participants described feelings of loneliness, isolation, and wanting somebody to “comfort them” as aspects of depression that affect the decisions they make about sex and relationships. In essence, sex was viewed as a stress reliever, an anti-depressant and a way to increase self-esteem. They shared that even if they did not feel like having sex, they might just “git it over wit” so their partners would stop asking. Some also discussed financial and emotional stability offered by older, more sexually experienced partners. These age-discordant relationships often translated into trusting that their partners knew what was best for their sexual relationships (i.e., having unprotected sex). Sixty-nine percent (n=88) of the sample reported engaging in sexual activity. Given their mean age (16±1.9 years) participants had been sexually active for 2±1.8 years. The adolescents reported an average of 2±1.8 sexual partners within the past three months. Depressed participants reported a higher frequency of having ever had sex (78% vs. 59%, χ²=5.236, p=0.022), and had a higher mean number of sexual partners (2 vs. 1, t=–2.023, p= 0.048) and sexual encounters under the influence of drugs and alcohol (8 vs. 2, t=–3.078, p=0.005) in the past three months. The results of this study can guide the modification and/or development of tailored HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention programs. The findings provide explicit, psychologically and culturally relevant information regarding the interaction between depression, self-medicating behaviors and risk for HIV/STIs among clinically depressed African-American adolescent females.

Keywords:

• HIV/AIDS
• depression
• adolescents
• African-American
• mixed methods

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at the American Nurses Association Minority Fellowship Program [5 SM058566-02]; The Hampton-Penn Center for Health Disparities Research [NINR P20NR008361]; and The Fontaine Society Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.