The relationships among sexually transmitted infection, depression, and lifetime violence in a sample of predominantly African American women

This study was a secondary analysis of the relationships among lifetime experiences of violence, depressive symptoms, substance use, safer sex behaviors use, and past-year sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment among a sample of 445 low income, primarily African American women (257 HIV-, 188 HIV+) reporting a male intimate partner within the past year. Twenty-one percent of HIV- and 33% of HIV+ women reported past-year STI treatment. Violence victimization increased women's odds of past-year STI treatment, controlling for HIV status and age. Depressive symptoms increased, and use of safer sex behaviors decreased, women's odds of past-year STI treatment. Results suggest that positive assessment for violence and/or depression indicates need for STI screening.