Youth, Sexual Risk-Taking Behavior, and Mental Health: a Study of University Students in Uganda
Youth, Sexual Risk-Taking Behavior, and Mental Health: a Study of University Students in Uganda
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DOI：
10.1007/s12529-011-9159-4
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发表时间：
2012-06-01
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Ostergren, Per-Olof
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Agardh, Anette;Cantor-Graae, Elizabeth;Ostergren, Per-Olof
背景：在撒哈拉以南非洲，人们很少关注年轻人心理健康在危险性行为和艾滋病毒预防方面的作用。本研究的目的是调查乌干达大学生群体中心理健康状况不佳与危险性行为（艾滋病毒/艾滋病）之间的关系。方法2005年，980名乌干达大学生完成了一份自我管理的问卷（答复率80%），评估社会人口统计学和宗教背景因素、心理健康、酒精使用和性行为。心理健康评估采用霍普金斯症状检查表-25和症状检查表-90中的项目。结果男性（比值比（OR） 2.0, 95%可信区间（CI） 1.2-3.3）和女性（OR 3.3, 95%可信区间（CI） 1.3-8.6）抑郁得分高和性伴侣数量多显著相关。男性焦虑得分升高与性伴侣数量多（OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.3）和不一致使用安全套（OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.6）相关。精神疾病还与男性性伴侣数量多密切相关。在控制了社会人口因素和酒精消费水平后，这些关联仍然具有统计学意义。这些发现表明，先前在高收入和中等收入国家得出的关于性行为与心理健康之间关系的结论在乌干达等低收入环境中也是有效的。这一知识对政策制定和艾滋病毒/艾滋病预防战略具有影响。为满足青年人的需要，应当提供协调一致的青年友好型心理健康和性健康及生殖健康服务。
Background Little focus has been paid to the role of mental health among young people with regard to risky sexual behavior and HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between poor mental health and risky sexual behavior (HIV/AIDS) among a population of university students in Uganda.Methods In 2005, 980 Ugandan university students completed a self-administered questionnaire (response rate 80%) assessing sociodemographic and religious background factors, mental health, alcohol use, and sexual behavior. Mental health was assessed using items from the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 and the Symptom Checklist-90.Results High scores on depression and high numbers of sexual partners among both males (odds ratio (OR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-3.3) and females (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.3-8.6) were significantly associated. Elevated anxiety scores among men were associated with high numbers of sexual partners (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.3) and inconsistent condom use (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.6). Psychoticism was also significantly associated with high numbers of sexual partners among men. The associations remained statistically significant after controlling for sociodemographic factors and level of alcohol consumption.Conclusion These findings indicate that previous conclusions on the association between sexual behavior and mental health from high- and middle-income countries also are valid in a low-income setting, such as in Uganda. This knowledge has implications for policy formation and HIV/AIDS preventive strategies. Coordinated youth-friendly mental health and sexual and reproductive health services to meet the needs of young people would be desirable.