Erin Brennand

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Leyton Schnellert

University of British Columbia

Alan Santinele Martino

University of Calgary

University of Ottawa | Université d'Ottawa

Kevin Nixon

University of Toronto

Vikki MacLaughlin

Jessica Wood

Elisa Beth Mcneill

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Papers by Erin Brennand

Disability is associated with sexually transmitted infection: Severity and female sex are important risk factors

by Alan Santinele Martino and Erin Brennand

The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2022

It has been suggested that disabled people may experience higher rates of sexually transmitted in... more It has been suggested that disabled people may experience higher rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI) due to health inequities and sexual education gaps. Using a pan-Canadian health survey, we sought to explore the association with disability and STI. Using the public use microdata fle for the 2013-2014 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (Statistics Canada), the association between disability and STI was explored. Modelling included adjustment for age, ethnicity, geography, living arrangement, educational status, and marital status. Results were stratifed for females and males, disability severity, and type. Both females (odds ratio [OR] 1.54, 95% confdence intervals [CI] 1.27-1.86) and males (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.03-1.62) with any impairments were more likely to report a diagnosis of STI. A graduated efect was seen, with the odds increasing as the severity of disability increased. Females with severe visual impairment (OR 6.88, 95% CI 2.13-22.17) had the highest association with STI. Associations were most consistently seen in females, suggesting sex diferences in risk for disabled people. Given that Canadians living with disabilities are more likely to report having been diagnosed with a STI, future work is needed to further understand the causes. In the meantime, these fndings signal a need for clinicians to ensure this group is engaged with STI screening, as well as the greater need for improved strategies to address the sexual health needs of those living with a disability of all severities and types.

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