Sexually transmitted infections after bereavement - a population-based cohort study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Grief and bereavement are known risk factors for various adverse health outcomes.
• The association between bereavement and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between bereavement and the risk of developing STIs in women.
• To quantify the risk of STIs following the loss of a close family member or spouse.

Main Methods:

• A population-based cohort study was conducted using the Swedish Multi-Generation Register (1987-2012).
• Included 3,002,209 women aged 10-44 years, defining bereavement as the death of a child, parent, sibling, or spouse.
• Poisson and negative binomial regression models estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for STIs post-bereavement.

Main Results:

• Bereaved women exhibited a significantly higher risk for most studied STIs.
• The overall risk of any STI was elevated in the first year post-bereavement (IRR: 1.45).
• A persistent increased risk for acute salpingitis was observed for over five years (IRR: 1.28).

Conclusions:

• Women experiencing bereavement face an elevated risk of acquiring STIs.
• The findings highlight the need for increased awareness and support for bereaved women's sexual health.