Introduction
The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of sexually transmitted
infections in women of reproductive age by disability type and examine the association
between disability types, participant characteristics, and the prevalence of sexually
transmitted infections (STIs).
Methods
Pooled data from 2015 to 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed
in 2022. The analytic sample included 90,233 women of reproductive age (18–49 years).
Disability was defined as having any sensory, cognitive, physical, or ≥2 disabilities.. A total
of 15% of women reported having a disability. Descriptive analyses were used to estimate
the prevalence of STI, and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine
the association of disability type and other participant characteristics with the
odds of having STIs.
Results
The prevalence of STIs was more than twice as high for women of reproductive age with
cognitive disabilities (6.8%) or ≥2 disabilities (6.7%) as for those without disabilities
(2.7%). Women with sensory disabilities (AOR=1.47; 95% CI=1.17, 1.85), cognitive disabilities
(AOR=1.89; 95% CI=1.65, 2.17), or ≥2 disabilities (AOR=1.78; 95% CI=1.49, 2.14) had
greater odds of STIs than those without disabilities. Bisexual women had higher odds
(AOR=1.31; 95% CI=1.14, 1.50) of STIs than straight women, whereas lesbian/gay women
had lower odds (AOR=0.41; 95% CI=0.27, 0.63). The odds of STIs were higher among non-Hispanic
Blacks (AOR=1.42; 95% CI=1.24, 1.63) and lower among Asian women (AOR=0.62; 95% CI=0.43,
0.90) than among non-Hispanic Whites. The odds of STIs were also greater among participants
having any alcohol, cannabis, or illicit drug use.
Conclusions
Women of reproductive age with disabilities have a higher prevalence of sexually transmitted
infections. In addition to disability type, the odds of sexually transmitted infections
varied by race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and substance use.
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Published online: December 16, 2022
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