A Crticial Review of the Associations Between Mental Health and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among African American Women

Background: Studies describing STI rates among African American women rarely examine mental health issues in relation to risky sexual behaviors.

Objectives: is to examine if there’s an association between mental health issues, such as stress and depression, risky sexual behaviors, and sexually transmitted infections (STI) among African American women (AAW).

Methods: A number of articles were selected using search terms cross-referenced in three areas: (1) HIV, STDs, or STIs; (2) mental health; and (3) African American women. The search was performed in the following electronic bibliographic databases: PubMed,  PsycINFO, and EBSCOhost.

Results: The literature focused largely on African American female adolescents and young adults’ risky sexual behaviors, violence, and drug and alcohol usage. Other studies that looked for an association between having a mental health disorder and sexually transmitted disease were inconclusive.

Conclusions: Studies that examine contextual and psychosocial factors of mental health issues and risky sexual behaviors in relation to STIs among African American women is limited.

Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research: Future studies that are more inclusive of psychosocial factors in relation to STIs and risky sexual behaviors among African American women can help guide behavioral health interventions.