Megan Krantz1, Tina Goldstein2, Brian Rooks1, John Merranko1, Fangzi Liao1, Mary Kay Gill1, Rasim Diler1, Danella Hafeman1, Neal Ryan1, Benjamin Goldstein3, Shirley Yen4, Heather Hower5, Jeffrey Hunt6, Martin Keller7, Michael Strober8, David Axelson9, Boris Birmaher1. 1. Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA. 2. Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA. Electronic address: goldtr@upmc.edu. 3. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. 4. Alpert Medical School and Butler Hospital, Providence. 5. Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI. 6. Alpert Medical School and Bradley Hospital, Providence. 7. Butler Hospital. 8. David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles. 9. Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State College of Medicine, Columbus.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to document rates of sexual activity among youth with bipolar spectrum disorder (BD) and to examine demographic and clinical factors associated with first sexual activity and sexual risk behavior during follow-up. METHOD: The sample was drawn from the Course and Outcome of Bipolar Youth (COBY) study of 413 youth 7 to 17 years at baseline who met criteria for bipolar spectrum disorder according to the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children. Psychiatric symptoms during follow-up were assessed using the Adolescent Longitudinal Interview Follow-Up Evaluation (ALIFE). Sexual behavior and level of sexual risk (e.g., unprotected sex, multiple partners, and/or partners with known sexually transmitted infections) were assessed by trained evaluators using the ALIFE Psychosocial Functioning Scale. Analyses were conducted in relation to first sexual behavior during follow-up and then to subsequent sexual behaviors (mean 9.7 years, standard deviation 3.2). RESULTS: Sexually active COBY youth (n = 292 of 413; 71%) were more likely females, using substances, and not living with both parents. Consistent with findings among healthy youth, earlier first sexual activity in the sample was significantly associated with low socioeconomic status, female sex, comorbid disruptive behavior disorder, and substance use. As with healthy youth, sexual risk behavior during follow-up was significantly associated with non-Caucasian race, low socioeconomic status, substance use, and history of sexual abuse. Of those COBY youth who were sexually active, 11% reported sexual assault or abuse, 36% reported becoming pregnant (or the significant other becoming pregnant), and 15% reported having at least 1 abortion (or the significant other having an abortion) during follow-up. Hypomanic symptoms during follow-up were temporally associated with the greatest risk for sexual risk behavior. CONCLUSION: Demographic and clinical factors could help identify youth with bipolar spectrum disorder at significantly greatest risk for sexual activity and sexual risk behavior. Attending to sexual risk behaviors in this population is warranted.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to document rates of sexual activity among youth with bipolar spectrum disorder (BD) and to examine demographic and clinical factors associated with first sexual activity and sexual risk behavior during follow-up. METHOD: The sample was drawn from the Course and Outcome of Bipolar Youth (COBY) study of 413 youth 7 to 17 years at baseline who met criteria for bipolar spectrum disorder according to the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children. Psychiatric symptoms during follow-up were assessed using the Adolescent Longitudinal Interview Follow-Up Evaluation (ALIFE). Sexual behavior and level of sexual risk (e.g., unprotected sex, multiple partners, and/or partners with known sexually transmitted infections) were assessed by trained evaluators using the ALIFE Psychosocial Functioning Scale. Analyses were conducted in relation to first sexual behavior during follow-up and then to subsequent sexual behaviors (mean 9.7 years, standard deviation 3.2). RESULTS: Sexually active COBY youth (n = 292 of 413; 71%) were more likely females, using substances, and not living with both parents. Consistent with findings among healthy youth, earlier first sexual activity in the sample was significantly associated with low socioeconomic status, female sex, comorbid disruptive behavior disorder, and substance use. As with healthy youth, sexual risk behavior during follow-up was significantly associated with non-Caucasian race, low socioeconomic status, substance use, and history of sexual abuse. Of those COBY youth who were sexually active, 11% reported sexual assault or abuse, 36% reported becoming pregnant (or the significant other becoming pregnant), and 15% reported having at least 1 abortion (or the significant other having an abortion) during follow-up. Hypomanic symptoms during follow-up were temporally associated with the greatest risk for sexual risk behavior. CONCLUSION: Demographic and clinical factors could help identify youth with bipolar spectrum disorder at significantly greatest risk for sexual activity and sexual risk behavior. Attending to sexual risk behaviors in this population is warranted.
Authors: Kelly L Donahue; Paul Lichtenstein; Sebastian Lundström; Henrik Anckarsäter; Clara Hellner Gumpert; Niklas Långström; Brian M D'Onofrio Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2013-01-17 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Sarah R Black; Ilana Seager; Molly R Meers; L Eugene Arnold; Boris Birmaher; Robert L Findling; Sarah M Horwitz; Eric A Youngstrom; Mary A Fristad Journal: J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol Date: 2018-10-30