A Latent Variable Modelling Approach for The Pooled Analysis of Individual Participant Data on The Association between Depression and Chlamydia Infection in Adolescence and Young Adulthood in the UK

Abstract

Despite the increasing evidence of association between chlamydia infection and depression, currently there is a paucity of research with limited scope to understand better the temporal nature of the relationship between them. We consider this problem in adolescence and young adulthood by pooled analysis of 7250 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. We propose a latent variable modelling approach which can handle harmonization of categorical variables including ordinal measures from the two studies as well as measurement error and time trends.

How are young people’s mental health related to their sexual health and substance use? A systematic review of UK literature

“…Lastly, the literature reports better sexual health to be associated with lower self-reported depression, higher selfesteem and better social integration for young people [103]. Depression and STIs were shown to be associated by two further articles [104,105], in line with [59] findings. In another article, depression and condomless sex, as well as anxiety and condomless sex, low self-efficacy with condom use and STIs in the past year were shown to be associated for sexually active women [106].…”

“…However, the association between the 'all sexual activities' class and self-harm remained statistically significant post-adjustment. In the only article reporting on a specific sexually transmitted infection, depression score changes between the ages of 10 and 16 were associated with increased odds of Chlamydia infection at age 17 [59].…”

“…This systematic review captured three articles presenting associations between aspects of sexual health and mental health [33,59,60]. Sex before age 16 and/or unprotected sex at age 16 was found to be positively associated with anxiety and depression at age 18 [42].…”