Mental health correlates of HIV risk behaviour and STIs/HIV infection among university students from 22 low,middle and high income countries |
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| Authors: | Karl Peltzer Supa Pengpid |
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| Affiliation: | 1. ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhonpathom, Thailand, 73170;2. Department of Psychology, University of Limpopo, Turfloop, Sovenga 0727, South Africa;3. HIV, AIDS, TB, and STIs (HAST), Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), Pretoria 0001, South Africakarl.pel@mahidol.ac.th;5. Department of Research Development &6. Innovation, University of Limpopo, Turfloop, Sovenga 0727, South Africa |
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| Abstract: | The aim of this study was to determine mental health correlates of HIV risk behaviour and self-reported STIs/HIV infection among university students in 22 low, middle and high income countries. Data on mental health and HIV risk were collected from 16 567 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.9, SD = 2.9) from 23 universities in 22 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Results indicate that overall 16.8% of the students had two or more sexual partners in the past 12 months, and among the sexually active, 73.7% had inconsistently used a condom in the past three months with their primary sexual partner, 3.2% had ever been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and 0.6% had been diagnosed with HIV. In multivariate logistic regression poorer mental health and child abuse (physical and sexual) were associated with HIV risk behaviour, and child abuse (physical and sexual) was associated with STI and HIV positive diagnoses. |
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| Keywords: | child abuse HIV risk behaviour HIV status mental health multi-country sexually transmitted infection university students |
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