Hypothetical model of interaction between exposure to chronic sexual abuse, depression, immune dysregulation and HIV susceptibility.

Our model hypothesizes that exposure to sexual abuse can directly result in immune dysregulation leading to increased HIV susceptibility. Depression resulting from exposure to sexual abuse can also lead to immune dysregulation and increased HIV susceptibility. Our major findings are also summarized schematically. Immune mediators are shown as gradients with the wider end of the arrows denoting groups where the concentrations were higher.