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Relationship of Psychological Distress and Unprotected Sex Among Individuals With HIV Seeking Mental Health Care

Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, shachame{at}epi.wustl.edu

Tania B. Basta, PhD, MPH

School of Health Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio

Michael Reece, PhD, MPH

Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

This study examined the prevalence of sexual behavior and its relationship with psychological distress among individuals with HIV who were seeking mental health care. Upon self-enrollment in HIV-related mental health care, 845 participants completed self-assessments of demographics, psychological distress, and sexual behaviors. Participants were categorized by sexual risk as determined by their reported unprotected sexual activity within the previous 30 days: receptive anal or vaginal sex (high-risk), insertive anal or vaginal sex (moderate-risk), oral sex (low-risk), and no sex (no-risk). The majority of the sample was classified as no-risk, 11% low-risk, 5% moderate-risk, and 17% were high-risk. Levels of psychological distress did not differ across risk levels. Overall psychological distress levels were elevated, 19% of the sample expressed severe distress. Use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and no-AIDS diagnosis predicted high-risk sexual behaviors. A substantial proportion of the sample reported engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors, which signifies the need to further incorporate sex-related prevention efforts among HIV-infected populations.

Key Words: sexual behaviors • HIV/AIDS • psychological distress • sexual risk factors • mental health

This version was published on March 1, 2009

Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (JIAPAC), Vol. 8, No. 2, 93-99 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1545109709332468


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