Narrative Review: Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Homeless Youth—What Do We Know About Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevalence and Risk?
| Autor: | Samantha P. Williams, Rachel Kachur, Alexandra E Caccamo |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
Microbiology (medical)
Sexually transmitted disease Male medicine.medical_specialty Northwestern United States Adolescent Sexual Behavior Population Sexually Transmitted Diseases Dermatology Article Midwestern United States 03 medical and health sciences Homeless Youth Young Adult 0302 clinical medicine Risk-Taking Risk Factors Prevalence Southwestern United States Medicine Humans 030212 general & internal medicine Young adult education Psychiatry Child education.field_of_study 030505 public health business.industry Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Multiple sex partners Infectious Diseases Sexual behavior Adolescent Behavior Narrative review Female Inconsistent condom 0305 other medical science business Risk taking Demography |
| Popis: | Homelessness affects an estimated 1.6 million US youth annually. Compared with housed youth, homeless youth are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors, including inconsistent condom use, multiple sex partners, survival sex, and alcohol/drug use, putting them at increased sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk. However, there is no national estimate of STD prevalence among this population.We identified 10 peer-reviewed articles (9 unique studies) reporting STD prevalence among homeless US youth (2000-2015). Descriptive and qualitative analyses identified STD prevalence ranges and risk factors among youth.Eight studies reported specific STD prevalence estimates, mainly chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Overall STD prevalence among homeless youth ranged from 6% to 32%. STD rates for girls varied from 16.7% to 46%, and from 9% to 13.1% in boys. Most studies were conducted in the Western United States, with no studies from the Southeast or Northeast. Youths who experienced longer periods of homelessness were more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. Girls had lower rates of condom use and higher rates of STDs; boys were more likely to engage in anal and anonymous sex. Additionally, peer social networks contributed to protective effects on individual sexual risk behavior.Sexually transmitted disease prevalence estimates among homeless youth fluctuated greatly by study. Sexually transmitted disease risk behaviors are associated with unmet survival needs, length of homelessness, and influence of social networks. To promote sexual health and reduce STD rates, we need better estimates of STD prevalence, more geographic diversity of studies, and interventions addressing the behavioral associations identified in our review. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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