Relationship of axis II pathology to sex- and drug-related risk behaviors among patients in HIV primary care

Risky Sexual Behaviors as a Transaction of Individual Differences and Situational Context

Risky sexual behaviors (RSBs) incur large societal and personal costs. Despite widespread prevention efforts, RSBs and associated consequences (e.g., sexually transmitted infections) continue to rise. A proliferation of research has emerged on situational (e.g., alcohol use) and individual difference (e.g., impulsivity) factors to explain this rise, but these approaches assume an unrealistically static mechanism underlying RSB. Because this prior research has resulted in few compelling effects, we sought to innovate by examining the interaction of situation and individual differences in explaining RSBs. A large sample (N = 105) completed baseline reports of psychopathology and 30 daily diary reports of RSBs and associated contexts. These data were submitted to multilevel models including cross-level interactions to test a person-by-situation conceptualization of RSBs. Results suggested that RSBs are most strongly predicted from interactions of person- and situation-level factors in both protective and facilitative directions. These interactions outnumbered main effects and commonly included partner commitment as a central mechanism. These results point to theoretical and clinical gaps in preventing RSB and urge a departure from prior ways of conceptualizing sexual risk as a static outcome.

MENTAL DISORDERS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE COMMITMENT TO OBSERVATION IN THE INFECTIONIST IN HIVINFECTED PATIENTS WITH EARLY SYPHILIS

HIV and syphilis have similar epidemiological characteristics which causes a high level of combined infection. Both STDs affect the central nervous system early after infection. Mental disorders occur with a high incidence in HIV-infected patients and patients with syphilis, but data on the effect of combined HIV and syphilis infection on mental disorders are found only in single articles. Objectives. The goal is to study mental disorders and their effect on the commitment to observation in the infectionist in HIV-infected patients with early syphilis. Materials and methods. A comparative study of 148 patients (65 HIV-infected patients with syphilis, 50 patients with syphilis monoinfection, 33 HIV-infected patients, seronegative for syphilis) was carried out. We used clinical, psychopathological, follow-up, psychometric, laboratory and statistical methods of investigation. Results. It was found that mental disorders occur in the majority (83%) of HIV-infected patients with syphilis with the predominance of affective (54%) and addictive (48%) disorders. In HIV-infected patients with early neurosyphilis, psychogenic reactions developed statistically significantly more often than in HIV-infected patients with early syphilis. In contrast, there were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of addictive, affective, personality disorders and mental disorders due to organic brain damage in patients with early neurosyphilis and early syphilis in the case of co-infection with HIV infection. Mental disorders due to organic brain damage had a mixed genesis (including infectious) in all cases and were associated and caused by the already existing HIV infection. HIV-infected patients with syphilis, in general, were characterized by the low commitment to observation in the infectionist which were influenced by the following factors: social maladjustment, drug abuse and criminal activity. Discussion. The frequency of detected mental disorders in the examined HIV-infected patients with syphilis (83,1%) corresponded to the literature on the incidence of mental illness in HIVinfected patients inSt. Petersburg(85,6%), but was higher than the prevalence of mental disorders in patients with syphilis (68%). Given the established influence of neurosyphilis mono-infection on the development of mental disorders due to organic brain damage, it can be concluded that the disease with early neurosyphilis is important in the development of mental disorders of organic genesis. But the weight of this factor is insufficient in case of co-infection with HIV and early neurosyphilis and can only have additional significance in the development of mental disorders and the key factor is HIV-infection action. Mental disorders (addictive disorders and cognitive impairment) adversely affect the commitment to observation in the infectionist of HIV-infected patients with syphilis, therefore timely correction of mental disorders may be one of the factors improving compliance of patients. Conclusions. The study found a minor role of early neurosyphilis (as opposed to HIV infection) on the formation of mental disorders in the case of a combination of these infections. At the same time, it was found that addictive and cognitive symptomatic complexes have a negative impact on the probability of reference to an infectious disease specialist for initiating therapy in HIV-infected patients with syphilis.

Psychopathology Subgroups and HIV Risk Among Women in Psychiatric Treatment

Among individuals with mental illness, the HIV infection rate is generally found to be substantially higher than in the general population. Understanding dimensions or subtypes of psychopathology linked with HIV risk behavior may enable development of targeted interventions to reduce HIV transmission. This study identified subgroups of women (n = 243) receiving outpatient psychiatric treatment based upon cluster analysis of indices of personality disorder and clinical symptom syndromes. High, medium, and low psychiatric severity cluster subgroups were found to differ significantly on key HIV risk variables. The high psychopathology subgroup revealed greater AIDS anxiety, more sexual partners, more sexual trading behaviors, less risk reduction self-efficacy, and less skill in condom usage than was found in one or both cluster subgroups characterized by less psychiatric severity. Results suggest that subgroups differentiated on the basis of levels of personality disorder and clinical symptom severity display differences in types and levels of HIV risk-related attitudes, beliefs, expectancies, skills, and behaviors that might guide development of tailored prevention intervention.

HIV Risk, Substance Use, and Personality Characteristics among Adults with History of Serious Mental Illness

The present study examined the relationship between characteristics associated with personality disorders, substance use, and HIV risk among adults with a history of serious mental illness. Participants included 103 adults with antisocial or borderline personality disorder, serious mental illness, and recent HIV risk behavior. The sample was predominately male (64%), diverse (42% African American and 13% Hispanic), and homeless/marginally housed (76%). In order to examine the relationship between personality characteristics and risk we constructed a risk index comprising key symptoms of antisocial and borderline personality disorders, namely; impulsivity, affective instability, and disregard for safety of self/others. Contrary to our primary hypotheses, risk index scores did not predict HIV risk behavior and substance abuse did not mediate this risk. Exploratory analyses did reveal that women engaged in significantly more risk behaviors than their male counterparts and that risk scores were a significant predictor of total sex acts for women but not men. In addition, increased emotional dysregulation was a significant predictor of condomless sex acts for women but not men. Finally, recent alcohol use and increased impulsivity was associated with more condomless oral sex for men and women. These results suggest the relationship among serious mental illness, personality disorder, substance abuse, and gender is complex and merits further study.

Borderline personality disorder and regularly drinking alcohol before sex

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS

Drinking alcohol before sex increases the likelihood of engaging in unprotected intercourse, having multiple sexual partners and becoming infected with sexually transmitted infections. Borderline personality disorder (BPD), a complex psychiatric disorder characterised by pervasive instability in emotional regulation, self-image, interpersonal relationships and impulse control, is associated with substance use disorders and sexual risk behaviours. However, no study has examined the relationship between BPD and drinking alcohol before sex in the USA. This study examined the association between BPD and regularly drinking before sex in a nationally representative adult sample.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Participants were 17 491 sexually active drinkers from Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Logistic regression models estimated effects of BPD diagnosis, specific borderline diagnostic criteria and BPD criterion count on the likelihood of regularly (mostly or always) drinking alcohol before sex, adjusted for controls.

RESULTS

Borderline personality disorder diagnosis doubled the odds of regularly drinking before sex [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.26; confidence interval (CI) = 1.63, 3.14]. Of nine diagnostic criteria, impulsivity in areas that are self-damaging remained a significant predictor of regularly drinking before sex (AOR = 1.82; CI = 1.42, 2.35). The odds of regularly drinking before sex increased by 20% for each endorsed criterion (AOR = 1.20; CI = 1.14, 1.27) DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to examine the relationship between BPD and regularly drinking alcohol before sex in the USA. Substance misuse treatment should assess regularly drinking before sex, particularly among patients with BPD, and BPD treatment should assess risk at the intersection of impulsivity, sexual behaviour and substance use. [Thompson Jr RG, Eaton NR, Hu M-C, Hasin DS Borderline personality disorder and regularly drinking alcohol before sex Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:540-545].

Personality disorders among Spanish prisoners starting hepatitis C treatment: Prevalence and associated factors

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of personality disorders (PDs) and their associated factors in prisoners who initiate chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment in 25 Spanish prisons. The Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4 was used to diagnose PDs according to DSM-IV criteria. Factors potentially associated with a PD diagnosis were evaluated by logistic regression analysis. Two hundred and fifty-five patients were initially assessed and 62 (24.3%) were excluded due to an incomplete or invalid self-report screening questionnaire. PD prevalence was 70.5%, with antisocial PD being the most prevalent (46.1%). In terms of PD clusters, the most prevalent was cluster-B (55.4%). PD diagnosis was associated with HCV genotypes 1, 2, or 3 (odds ratio [OR] 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-4.49). Patients with a cluster-B PD were more likely to be infected with HCV genotypes 1, 2, or 3 (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.08-5.23) and be HIV-infected (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.10-4.39), to report past-year injection drug use (OR 7.17, 95% CI 1.49-34.58), and to have stage 3 or 4 fibrosis (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.06-4.49). The prevalence of PDs in Spanish prisoners who initiate CHC treatment is very high. PD management issues should be considered in treating CHC patients in prisons.

Substance abuse treatment in persons with HIV/AIDS: challenges in managing triple diagnosis

Clinical management of HIV must account for the "triple diagnosis" of HIV, psychiatric diagnosis, and substance use disorders and requires integrated treatment services that focus beyond just mitigation of substance use and psychiatric and medical symptoms but also address other health behaviors. Because clinical management of HIV/AIDS has shifted significantly with the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART) in the mid 1990s, a literature review focusing on literature published since 2000, and using relevant key words was conducted using a wide range of literature search databases. This literature review was complemented by studies to expand on specific treatment modalities for which there was a dearth of literature addressing HIV infected cohorts and to provide discussion of issues around substance abuse treatment as an HIV prevention tool. Existing models of substance abuse treatment including cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing have proven to be useful for enhancing adherence and reducing substance use in outpatient populations, while methadone maintenance and directly observed treatment have been useful with specific subgroups of users. Contextualization of services heightens the likelihood of successful outcomes and relapse prevention.