Among Young Attendees at STD Clinics, Substance Abusers Report More Risky Sexual Behavior

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bar graphs ahowing much riskier sexual behavior among those with subsance abuse disorders - see caption  Patients aged 15 to 24 of a public sexually transmitted disease clinic who had a substance abuse disorder (SUD) were two to three times as likely as those without an SUD to report multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use during the past year. Overall, 43 percent of the 448 patients who participated in the Pittsburgh clinic study had an alcohol or marijuana use disorder, and these young people also were 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease during their visit.

Source

Cook, R.L., et al. Alcohol and drug use and related disorders: An underrecognized health issue among adolscents and young adults attending sexually transmitted disease clinics. Sexually Transmitted Diseases 33(9):565-570, 2006