Correlates of Trichomonas vaginalis Among Middle Age and Older Adults Who Use Drugs

• Published in: Substance use & misuse Vol. 50; no. 12; pp. 1501 - 1509
• Main Authors: Hearn, Lauren E., Whitehead, Nicole Ennis, Dunne, Eugene M., Latimer, William W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Informa Healthcare 15.10.2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Age; Age Factors; Age groups; Alcoholism - epidemiology; At risk; Baltimore - epidemiology; Cocaine-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Condoms - statistics & numerical data; Crack Cocaine; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug abuse; Drug use; Female; Heroin Dependence - epidemiology; Humans; immunity; Incidence; Infections; Male; Marijuana; Marijuana Abuse - epidemiology; Medical screening; Middle age; Middle Aged; older adults; Older people; Prevalence; Risk; Risk behavior; Risk factors; Safe sexual practices; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexually transmitted diseases; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology; sexually transmitted infections; STD; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Susceptibility; Tests; Trichomonas Infections - epidemiology; Trichomonas vaginalis; Trichomoniasis; Young Adult; United States > US; Baltimore Maryland; older adults; crack cocaine; drug use; immunity; sexually transmitted infections; trichomoniasis
• ISSN: 1082-6084; 1532-2491
• DOI: 10.3109/10826084.2015.1018546

Background: Recent studies have reported high rates of Trichomonas vaginalis among middle age and older adults. Though trichomoniasis risk factors in this age cohort remain largely unknown, illicit drug use has been associated with increased incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The number of mid-older adults using illicit drugs has increased significantly in recent years suggesting the need to understand the relationship between drug use and STIs in this age cohort. Objectives: This study examined the relationship between drug use, sexual-risk behaviors, and biologically confirmed T. vaginalis in a sample of mid-older and younger adults who reported recent drug use. Methods: The cross-sectional design examined the relationship between past 6-month drug use, sexual risk-behaviors, and PCR-confirmed T. vaginalis in 264 adults age 18-64 who were recruited from Baltimore, Maryland. These relationships were also explored in the age-stratified sample among those 18-44 years ("younger") and individuals 45+ years ("mid-older"). Results: Trichomoniasis prevalence did not differ significantly between younger (18.8%) and mid-older (19.1%) adults. Mid-older adults that tested positive for T. vaginalis were more likely to have used marijuana and crack in the past 6 months. Among younger adults, there were no associations between trichomoniasis and past 6-month drug use and sexual-risk behavior. Conclusions/Importance: Age- and drug-related immune decline is hypothesized to contribute to increase susceptibility to T. vaginalis in mid-older adults. Broad screening for trichomoniasis, particularly among older adults who are often not regarded as at risk for STIs, is needed to control this often asymptomatic infection.