ADHD Greatly Increases STI Risk

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents and young adults, but ADHD medication use could lower this risk, according to the results of a recent study.

Although previous research has indicated that ADHD is associated with an increased likelihood of risky sexual behaviors, the relationship between ADHD and STIs is unknown.
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For their study, the researchers used data on 17,898 adolescents and young adults diagnosed with ADHD and 71,592 age- and sex-matched comparisons without ADHD from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

Overall, individuals with ADHD were more likely to develop any STI (hazard ratio [HR] 3.36, 95% CI 2.69~4.21), compared with the comparison group. Those with substance use disorders were also at an increased risk (HR 1.94, 95% CI 1.27∼2.98), but short-term and long-term use of ADHD medication was related to a lower risk of STI ([HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.53∼0.94] and [HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37∼0.93], respectively). The effects of substance use disorder was observed only in women, while the effects of ADHD medications were observed only in men.

“Adolescents and young adults with ADHD had an increased risk of developing any STI later in life compared with the non-ADHD comparisons. Patients with ADHD who also had substance use disorders were at the highest risk of subsequent STIs. Treatment with ADHD medications was associated with a lower risk of subsequent STIs,” the researchers concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Chen M, Hsu J, Huang K, et al. Sexually transmitted infection among adolescents and young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide longitudinal study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2018;57(1):48-53.