effects of adverse early-life experiences on sexually transmitted infections among homeless women

Background: homeless women are at high risk of sexually transmitted infections (stis) due to their adverse early-life experiences. objectives: this study aimed to examine the association between adverse early-life experiences and the risk of acquiring stisamong homeless women in tehran. patients and methods: a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in 2014. the study recruited 241 homeless women through quota sampling from the drop in centers and shelters affiliated to a local welfare organization in tehran, iran. data were obtained using questionnaires on demographics and adverse early-life experiences. blood and urine samples were tested for human immunodeficiency virus (hiv), herpes simplex virus 2 (hsv-2), syphilis, chlamydia trachomatis, and neisseria gonorrhea. descriptive statistics including frequency were calculated for all variables. to analyze the data at a significance level of 0.05, binary logistic regression was used. results: the prevalence rates of hiv/aids, hsv-2, syphilis, chlamydia trachomatis, and neisseria gonorrhea were 8.29%, 23.65%, 14.93%, 11.61%, and 6.63%, respectively. the results of logistic regression showed that the risk of acquiring stis increases by factors such as sexual abuse (or = 4.06; 95% ci = 1.21 - 13.6, p = 0.02), running away from home (or = 4.46; 95% ci = 1.67 - 12.89, p = 0.03), drug use (or = 3.93; 95% ci = 1.13 - 13.58, p = 0.03), alcohol use (or = 4.12; 95% ci = 1.38 - 12.24, p = 0.01), imprisonment and criminal records (or = 2.72; 95% ci = 1.01 - 7.52, p = 0.04), premarital sexual activity (or = 4.71; 95% ci = 1.06 - 13.84, p = 0.05), divorce (or = 3.47; 95% ci = 1.06 - 11.32, p = 0.03), nikah mut’ah (or = 4.33; 95% ci = 1.39 - 13.49, p = 0.01), having multiple sex partners (or = 5.2; 95% ci = 1.81 - 14.96, p = 0.02), and having unprotected sexual relationships (or = 3.69; 95% ci = 1.00 - 13.62, p = 0.05). conclusions: homeless women had high rates of adverse early-life experiences and overall 41.49% of them were affected at least by one sti. future interventions should focus on the reduction of adverse early-life experiences, especially during adolescence, including the promotion of adolescent empowerment, promotion of condom use, and improvement of awareness of stis.