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. 2024 May 20;10:e46845. doi: 10.2196/46845

Table 1.

Risk factors for oropharyngeal gonorrhea among female sex workers recruited from 2 sexual health clinics in Australia (N=664).


Cases (n=83), n (%) Controls (n=581), n (%) ORa (95% CI) aORb (95% CI) P value for aOR
Site

MSHCc 23 (27.7) 363 (62.5) Reference Reference d

SSHCe 60 (72.3) 218 (37.5) 4.3 (2.6-7.2)f 3.1 (1.5-6.2) .001
Gender identity

Female 79 (95.2) 531 (91.4) Reference

Transgender and gender diverse 4 (4.8) 50 (8.6) 0.5 (0.2-1.5)
Age (y)

≤24 8 (9.6) 121 (20.8) Reference Reference

25-34 43 (51.8) 289 (49.7) 2.3 (1.0-4.9)f 1.2 (0.5-2.9) .70

≥35 32 (38.6) 171 (29.4) 2.8 (1.3-6.4)f 1.1 (0.4-2.8) .85
Newly arrived in Australia (within 3 years)

No 34 (41) 370 (63.7) Reference Reference

Yes 49 (59) 211 (36.3) 2.5 (1.6-4.0)f 1.2 (0.6-2.1) .63
Smoke daily

No 60 (72.3) 427 (73.5) Reference

Yes 20 (24.1) 141 (24.3) 1.0 (0.6-1.7)

Declined to report 3 (3.6) 13 (2.2) 1.6 (0.5-5.9)
Use mouthwashg

Infrequently 10 (12) 122 (21) Reference Reference

Frequently 69 (83.1) 452 (77.8) 1.9 (0.9-3.7)f 1.0 (0.5-2.2) .97

Did not disclose 4 (4.8) 7 (1.2) 7.0 (1.7-27.9)f 11.2 (2.2-57.2) .004
Type (venue) of sex work

Brothel only 47 (56.6) 289 (49.7) Reference

Massage parlor only 12 (14.5) 139 (23.9) 0.5 (0.3-1.0)f 0.2 (0.1-0.5) <.001

Multiple or other venues 24 (28.9) 150 (25.8) 1.0 (0.6-1.7) 1.0 (0.6-1.9) .90

Declined to report 0 (0) 3 (0.5)
Sexual practices with clients

Tongue kiss male clientsh


No 9 (10.8) 146 (25.1) Reference Reference


Yes 51 (61.4) 348 (59.9) 2.4 (1.1-5.0)f 1.5 (0.7-3.5) .30


Declined to report 23 (27.7) 87 (15) 4.3 (1.9-9.7)a 3.3 (1.2-9.4) .02

Perform condomless fellatio on male clientsh


No 17 (20.5) 346 (59.6) Reference Reference


Yes 48 (57.8) 144 (24.8) 6.8 (3.8-12.2)f 3.6 (1.7-7.7) .001


Declined to report 18 (21.7) 91 (15.7) 4.0 (2.0-8.1)f 1.1 (0.8-6.0) .14

Client ejaculated in mouthh


No 43 (51.8) 440 (75.7) Reference Reference


Yes 25 (30.1) 56 (9.6) 4.6 (2.6-8.0)f 1.4 (0.7-2.9) .32


Declined to report 15 (18.1) 85 (14.6) 1.8 (1.0-3.4)f 0.6 (0.3-1.5) .30
Sexual practices with not-at-work sexual partners

Tongue kiss noncommercial sexual partneri


Noj 48 (57.8) 341 (58.7) Reference Reference


Yes 20 (24.1) 182 (31.3) 0.8 (0.4-1.4) 1.4 (0.7-2.7) .30


Declined to report 15 (18.1) 58 (10) 1.8 (1.0-3.5)f 1.6 (0.5-5.4) .47

Performed condomless fellatio on not-at-work sexual partneri


Noj 57 (68.7) 397 (68.3) Reference


Yes 8 (9.6) 104 (17.9) 0.5 (0.2-1.2)


Declined to report 18 (21.7) 80 (13.8) 1.6 (0.9-2.8)

Not-at-work sexual partner ejaculated in mouthi


Noj 68 (81.9) 453 (78) Reference Reference


Yes 1 (1.2) 70 (12) 0.1 (0.0-0.7)f 0.1 (0.0-0.6) .02


Declined to report 14 (16.9) 58 (10) 1.6 (0.9-3.0) 0.9 (0.3-3.1) .88

aOR: odds ratio.

baOR: adjusted odds ratio.

cMSHC: Melbourne Sexual Health Centre.

dNot applicable.

eSSHC: Sydney Sexual Health Centre.

fVariables with P values of <.10 in the univariable analyses were included in the multivariable analyses.

gInfrequent mouthwash use included those who selected never, yearly, or monthly. Frequent mouthwash use included those who selected daily or weekly.

hParticipants were asked to report any sex practices with male clients in an average working week.

iParticipants were asked to report sex practices with not-at-work male partners in the previous 7 days.

jIncludes 328 controls and 47 cases who did not have a noncommercial sex partner.