High prevalence of anxiety and hazardous alcohol consumption among patients attending an STI-clinic in northern Sweden

Introduction: Depression and hazardous alcohol consumption is associated to high-risk sexual behaviours among adolescents and young adults. Is the same true among grownups? The impact of anxiety on sexual risk behaviour is not thoroughly investigated. Our aim was to evaluate the correlation between hazardous alcohol consumption, depression and anxiety to sexual risk taking including Chlamydia infections, among patients attending an STI reception. Method: Patients attending an urban STI reception in Sweden were consecutively included and received questionnaires; screening- and demographic information, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD). All patients also had a test for Chlamydia trachomatis taken. Results: 539 patients were included in the study, mean age 28 years. 152 (30%) had signs of anxiety and 37 (7%) of depression, of which 30 had also anxiety. Neither anxiety nor depression was correlated to sexual risk behaviour. >50% had hazardous alcohol consumption and it was independently linked to sexual risk behaviours and anxiety. Conclusion: Depression is not associated to sexual risk behaviours among adult STI-patients. Health care staff and must consider the high frequency of anxiety and hazardous alcohol consumption at their treatment of STI-clinic patients and in the preventive work. The society must work with lowering the stigmatization that still seems to be connected to STIs.

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP Klinisk medicin Dermatologi och venereologi hsv//swe
MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES Clinical Medicine Dermatology and Venereal Diseases hsv//eng
Chlamydia trachomatis
sexual behaviour
screening
Dermatology and venerology
Dermatologi och venerologi
Dermatology and Venerology
dermatologi och venereologi

Lindström, RichardUmeå universitet,Dermatologi och venereologi(Swepub:umu)ridlim96 (author)
Nordström, AnnikaUmeå universitet,Epidemiologi och global hälsa(Swepub:umu)anno0103 (author)
Boman, JensUmeå universitet,Institutionen för folkhälsa och klinisk medicin(Swepub:umu)jebo0011 (author)
Janlert, UrbanUmeå universitet,Epidemiologi och global hälsa(Swepub:umu)urja0001 (author)
Nylander, ElisabetUmeå universitet,Dermatologi och venereologi(Swepub:umu)elny0011 (author)
Umeå universitetDermatologi och venereologi (creator_code:org_t)

By the author/editor: Carré, Helena, 1 ...; Lindström, Richa ...; Nordström, Annik ...; Boman, Jens; Janlert, Urban; Nylander, Elisab ...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Clinical Medicin ...; and Dermatology and ...

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