Alcohol misuse, depressive symptoms, and HIV/STI risks of US Hispanic women

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Alcohol misuse and depressive symptoms have been linked to HIV/STI risk, but studies have rarely included Hispanic women, who have over four times greater HIV incidence than white, non-Hispanic women. Understanding the connections among alcohol misuse, depressive symptoms, and HIV/STI risks may suggest ways to meet specific needs of Hispanic women. This study’s objective is to examine the relationships among alcohol misuse, depressive symptoms, and seven HIV/STI risk factors.

Design: Five hundred forty-eight US Hispanic women with intake data from a randomized trial were assessed for alcohol misuse (CAGE) and depressive symptoms (CES-D). GZLM and path analyses tested relationships between alcohol misuse or depressive symptoms and HIV/STI risk factors.

Results: Self-efficacy and condom use were not related to alcohol misuse or depressive symptoms, but only 15% of women reported consistent condom use. After controlling for demographics, women with alcohol misuse had significantly more perceived HIV/STI risk (OR = 2.15) and better HIV/STI knowledge (β = −.54); and women with depressive symptoms had significantly more perceived HIV/STI risk (OR = 1.76) and worse HIV/STI knowledge (β = .37).

Conclusions: Interventions to increase condom use for Hispanic women are needed, regardless of mental disorders. Working with Hispanic women with alcohol misuse or depressive symptoms presents a need (and opportunity) to address issues directly related to HIV/STI risk. Women’s health practitioners have an excellent opportunity to reach women by implementing regular screening programs in clinics that serve Hispanic women. For women with high depressive symptoms, poor HIV/STI knowledge should also be addressed. Future studies should test whether integrated and tailored risk reduction interventions affect these factors and lower HIV/STI risk for Hispanic women.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcohol
• depressive symptoms
• Hispanics
• women
• HIV

Acknowledgement

The authors are solely responsible for this article’s content and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Key messages

 (1) Self-efficacy, and condom use were not related to alcohol misuse or depressive symptoms, but only 15% of women reported consistent condom use.

(2) After controlling for women’s demographics, women with alcohol misuse had significantly higher perceived HIV/STI risk, and better HIV/STI knowledge.

(3) After controlling for women’s characteristics, women with depressive symptoms had significantly greater perceived HIV/STI risk and worse HIV/STI knowledge.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Center of Excellence for Health Disparities Research: El Centro, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities grant P60MD002266 (Victoria Mitrani, Principal Investigator), and The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies.