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Interaction Between 5-HTTLPR Polymorphism and Abuse History on Adolescent African-American Females’ Condom Use Behavior Following Participation in an HIV Prevention Intervention

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Abstract

Not everyone exposed to an efficacious human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) intervention will reduce sexual risk behaviors, yet little is known about factors associated with “failure to change” high-risk sexual behaviors post-intervention. History of abuse and polymorphisms in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT) may be associated with non-change. The current study sought to identify genetic, life history, and psychosocial factors associated with adolescents’ failure to change condom use behaviors post-participation in an HIV prevention intervention. A sub-set of participants from a clinic-based sample of adolescent African-American females (N = 254) enrolled in a randomized trial of an HIV-prevention was utilized for the current study. Forty-four percent did not increase their condom use from baseline levels 6 months after participating in the sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV prevention intervention. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, an interaction between abuse and 5-HTTLPR group was significantly associated with non-change status, along with partner communication frequency scores at follow-up. Follow-up tests found that having a history of abuse was significantly associated with greater odds of non-change in condom use post-intervention for only those with the s allele. For those with ll allele, participants with higher partner communication frequency scores were at decreased odds of non-change in condom use post-intervention. Thus, STI/HIV interventions for adolescent females may consider providing a more in-depth discussion and instruction on how to manage and overcome fear or anxiety related to being assertive in sexual decisions or sexual situations. Doing so may improve the efficacy of STI/HIV prevention programs for adolescent women who have experienced abuse in their lifetime.

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Notes

  1. The DNA sample collection was an addition to the main trail’s data collection, thus not every participant was invited to provide a sample if they: (1) had already completed the trial or (2) did not return for the 24-month follow-up assessment when the sample collection occurred. Three hundred sixty-three were asked to provide a sample, and only 31 declined.

  2. Because we utilized a two-group structure to explore the association between 5-HTTLRP status and the outcome of interest, we present these data for those with an s allele versus those with the ll allele. However, by request, the outcome by the three groups (ss, sl, ll) can be made available.

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Acknowledgement

Funding: This research was supported by a grant, number K01 MH085506, from the National Institute of Mental Health to the first author, and grant number R01 MH070537, from the National Institute of Mental Health to the second author, and number P03 DA027827 to the third author. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or National Institute of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd., NE, Room 570, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Jessica M. Sales, Ralph J. DiClemente, Gene H. Brody & Eve Rose

  2. Center for AIDS Research, Social and Behavioral Sciences Core, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Jessica M. Sales, Ralph J. DiClemente & Gene H. Brody

  3. Center for Contextual Genetics and Prevention Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Jessica M. Sales, Ralph J. DiClemente, Gene H. Brody & Robert A. Philibert

  4. Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa, IA, USA

    Robert A. Philibert

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  1. Jessica M. Sales
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  2. Ralph J. DiClemente
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  3. Gene H. Brody
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  4. Robert A. Philibert
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  5. Eve Rose
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Correspondence to Jessica M. Sales.

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Sales, J.M., DiClemente, R.J., Brody, G.H. et al. Interaction Between 5-HTTLPR Polymorphism and Abuse History on Adolescent African-American Females’ Condom Use Behavior Following Participation in an HIV Prevention Intervention. Prev Sci 15, 257–267 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-013-0378-6

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