Sexually transmitted infections among patients attending the General Practice Clinic, Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Nigeria

Abstract

S Afr Fam Pract 2011;53(1):63-70Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the most common infectious diseases in the world today. There are few reliable statistics on the true prevalence of STIs in developing countries, especially in the general practice setting, hence the need to determine the prevalence in each locality. With the scourge and pandemicity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the fact that STIs are recognised as independent risk factors for its transmission, determining the risk profiles for STIs has become paramount. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of STIs among patients attending a Nigerian general practice (GP) clinic.Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, hospital-based study. Consenting patients were recruited serially between February and April 2006 until the sample size of 415 was reached. Subjects' genital symptoms were considered according to the four common STI syndromes according to National AIDS/STD Control Programme guidelines.Results: The age range of the subjects was 15 to 95 years (mean 45.16 years, standard deviation 18.83 years, median 44 years). The median age at coitarche was 21 years while the median age at marriage was 25 years. The prevalence rates of current, past and lifetime STI were 18.8%, 22.4% and 32% respectively. Only 28 (6.8%) study subjects had laboratory evidence of STIs at the time of study. Previous sex with a commercial sex worker, previous history of STIs, premarital sex, first intercourse before or at 21 years of age and multiple sexual partners were significantly associated with STIs. Previous history of STIs was a strong predictor of current STI in this study while premarital sex and previous sex with a commercial sex worker were strong predictors of past STI. The frequency of HIV infection among subjects with STIs was more than double that of the control and a co-infection rate of 17.9% was found.Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate a high prevalence of STIs in the study community in association with prevailing high sexual risk behaviours, hence the need for reliable control programmes targeting the latter.Peer reviewed.

The prevalence and risk factors for Trichomonas vaginalis infection amongst human immunodeficiency virus-infected pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics of a university teaching hospital in Lagos, South-Western, Nigeria

“…[35] An earlier age of coitarche is likely to lead to an increased in the number of lifetime sexual partners and thus an increased probability of acquisition of sexually transmitted infections. [36] In keeping with this hypothesis, our study demonstrated a significant positive relationship between Trichomonas vaginalis infection and increased number of lifetime sexual partners.…”

Clinico-epidemiological profile and high-risk sexual behavior among clients attending sexually transmitted infection clinic at a tertiary care hospital in North India

“…This prevalence of high-risk sexual behavior was much lower than that reported in study among other high-risk groups. [ 14 15 16 17 ] Regarding the high-risk sexual behavior, although on univariate analysis, unmarried/divorced/widow/separated marital status, unemployment status, and homosexual/bisexual sexual preference were found to be more associated with nonuse of condom during intercourse. However, logistic model revealed unemployment status and unmarried/divorced/widow/separated marital status to be significantly and independently associated with high-risk sexual behavior.…”

Health Seeking Behaviour Towards Sexually Transmitted Infections among Students of a Nigerian Tertiary Institution

“…The consequence has been sustained STI epidemics with increased spread of HIV/AIDS, leading to huge personal and economic loss. A number of studies (Olakolu et al, 2011; Isiaka-Lawal et al,2014; Oyewole et al, 2010) carried out in Western Nigeria have shown a strong relationship between the presence of other STIs and the easy transmission and high infectivity of HIV, which could be a consequence of delay in seeking care or not seeking care at all. In a country where healthcare seeking remains ahighly complex and poorly understood subject even more so where competing systems of traditional, informal and western medicine coexist (Mmari et al, 2010), efforts need to be made to provide empirical evidence to ease understanding which has practical and scientific relevance for the effective control of STIs.…”