Citation

Kim H, He Y, Pham R, Ravelo GJ, Rojas P, Rodriguez P, Castro G, Barengo NC, Acuna JM, Cyrus E. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019; 16(7): e16071120.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work. Center for Research on US Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami 33199, FL, USA. ecyrusca@fiu.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph16071120

PMID

30925797

Abstract

Latinas are often more affected by HIV due to their socio-economic and demographic profiles and are also less likely to receive proper mental health care. Latina immigrants are often even more vulnerable due to socio-economic and cultural factors that place them at higher risk. The current study seeks to examine the association between depression and risky sexual behaviors among adult Latina immigrants from a farm working community in South Miami-Dade County, (Florida, USA). Cross-sectional secondary data analysis was used for responses from a community-based participatory research (CBPR) study. Out of 234 Latina immigrants, 15% reported being depressed and 80% were reported as having engaged in risky sexual behavior. Although no association was found between depression and high-risk sexual behavior, significant secondary findings present associations between risky sexual behavior and low sexual relationship power, interpersonal violence, and relationship status. Implications for future research on depression and risky sexual behaviors among this population are discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

AIDS; HIV; Latinas; depression; risk; sexual behaviors