HIV Sexual Risk Behavior Among Emerging Adults in Psychiatric Treatment in Brazil

Abstract

HIV infection among young populations is increasing worldwide. Adolescents in mental health treatment have higher rates of HIV risk behavior than do their peers. This first risk behavior study of youth in psychiatric treatment in Brazil reports findings from a cross-sectional national sample of emerging adult psychiatric patients (18 to 25 years old). The prevalence of lifetime unprotected sex was 65.9%. Multiple logistic regression indicated that being married/in union, sex under the influence of alcohol/drugs, physical violence, earlier sexual debut, and depressive/substance use disorders were associated with unsafe sex. Interventions and services that address these risks during this critical developmental window are urgently needed.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV risk behavior
• emerging adults
• mental illness
• sexual behavior
• Brazil
• multicenter national study

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We would like to thank Pierre Silva for assisting in editing the article.

Notes

^a Comparing young women and young men; Statistically significant: *p < .05, **p < .01.

^b MW = minimum wage (US$200).

^c Not always using condoms.

^d Among those sexually active in the past 6 months.

^e Among those sexually active ever.

^a Total population studied.

^b Number and proportion of lifetime unprotected sex in each category. Safe includes abstinent ever.

^c 95% CI = 95% confidence interval, statistically significant: *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.

^d Number and proportion of unprotected in the past 6 months in each category. Safe includes abstinent ever and abstinent in the past 6 months.

^e W = minimum wage (US$200).

^f Among those sexually active ever.

^a Safe includes abstinent ever. Hosmer–Lemeshow test = 6.22, 7 df, p = .511.

^b Safe includes abstinent ever and abstinent in the past 6 months. Hosmer–Lemeshow test = 2.26, 7 df, p = .941.

^c 95% CI = 95% confidence interval. Statistically significant: *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.