O20.5 Love in Lockdown: Relationship Stress, Dating Violence and STI Risk in Adolescent and Young Adult Relationships during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

BackgroundAdolescents and young adults (AYA) who experience dating violence (DV) are at increased STI risk. Social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have stressed AYA relationships and may cut them off from sources of support. AYA have been shown to respond to relationship stressors with behaviors that increase STI risk. This work examines whether relationship stressors (jealousy and worry about the relationship) exacerbate violence and STI risk among urban AYA during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsParticipants from four sexual and reproductive health studies in Baltimore, Maryland (USA) were invited to complete a cross-sectional telephone survey on relationship experiences/sexual behavior during the pandemic. March 16, 2020 ‘stay-at-home’ order was used to define the pandemic period. Partner support, jealousy, worry about the relationship making it through the pandemic, current DV, change in DV during pandemic, and condom use at last sex were evaluated using regression analyses. Data collection is still underway in 2021.ResultsOf 194 participants surveyed, mean (sd) age 22.7 (2.8) years, 61% were in a romantic/sexual relationship. Of these, 14% reported current TDV, 6% experienced an increase in DV, 66% did not use a condom at last sex. AYA who worried their relationship would not make it through the pandemic were more likely to experience DV (OR: 5.64, 95%CI: 1.69, 18.9). AYA who felt jealous of other people their partner was talking to/hanging out with during the pandemic were more likely to experience DV (OR: 4.51, 95%CI: 1.39, 14.6). Greater partner support was associated with experiencing less DV (OR: 0.71, 95%CI: 0.56, 0.90). Relationship stressors were not associated with condom use.ConclusionsRelationship insecurity exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic may increase risk for DV among AYA. As DV and STI are interconnected, romantic relationship context must be a key focus of STI prevention strategies during and after the pandemic.