Paper Title
Relationship quality, coital frequency, and condom use as predictors of incident genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection among adolescent women
Keywords
- relationship quality
- adolescents
- chlamydia infection
- condom use
- coital frequency
- unprotected coitus
- sexually transmitted infections (stis)
- adolescent sexual health
- partner change
- std prevention
- chlamydia trachomatis
- safe sex practices
- sexual behavior
- adolescent relationships
- sexual risk factors
- condom protection
- structural equation modeling
- public health interventions
- teen sexual behavior
- reproductive health
- partner dynamics
- sti risk reduction
- condom effectiveness
- youth sexual health education
Article Type
Research Article
Journal
Research Impact Tools
Publication Info
Volume: 37 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 163.e1–163.e7
Published On
August, 2005
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Abstract
Purpose To explore associations of relationship quality, coital frequency, unprotected coitus, and chlamydia infection over time. Methods Data came from 142 adolescent females with sexually transmitted infections attending three primary care adolescent clinics and one county STD clinic. Interview data were collected at 3 time points: enrollment, 1 month, and 3 months after enrollment. Predictor variables included relationship quality, coital frequency, unprotected coitus, and partner change. The outcome variable was infection with C. trachomatis at 3 months. Analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling. Results Chlamydia infection at 3 months was directly influenced by unprotected coitus during the previous 2 months (Β = .25; p ≤ .05) and partner change during the enrollment/1-month interval. Unprotected coitus was directly associated with coital frequency, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Increased relationship quality was associated with increased coital frequency but did not have direct effects on unprotected coitus. Conclusions The data showed a protective effect of condom use for chlamydia infections. Prevention efforts should attend to the interpersonal factors behind decisions to use or not use condoms.
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