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Minority women with sexually transmitted diseases: Sexual abuse and risk for pelvic inflammatory disease
Author(s) -
Dimmitt Champion Jane,
Piper Jeanna,
Shain Rochelle N.,
Perdue Sondra T.,
Newton Edward R.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/1098-240x(200102)24:1<38::aid-nur1005>3.0.co;2-u
Subject(s) - pelvic inflammatory disease , medicine , sexual abuse , sexually transmitted disease , genitourinary system , reproductive health , sexually active , disease , gynecology , psychiatry , poison control , injury prevention , population , family medicine , medical emergency , environmental health , syphilis , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)
Mexican American and African American women ( N = 617) with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) underwent a targeted physical exam and questioning regarding sexual abuse, current genitourinary symptomatology, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) risk behaviors to determine the relationship between sexual abuse and risk for PID. Sexually abused women ( n = 194) reported higher PID risk behaviors, including earlier coitus, more sex partners, higher STD recurrence, and a tendency toward delayed health‐seeking behavior. They also reported more severe genitourinary symptomatology, confirmed by physical exam, and presumptive diagnoses of PID. These characteristics identify sexually abused women at high risk for PID. Because of its considerable impact on risk for PID, assessment for sexual abuse is essential in clinical management of women with STD and for diagnosis of PID. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Res Nurs Health 24, 38–43, 2001