Table 2 Key factors associated with STI diagnosis/es*,† at the study GUM clinic, by gender.
| Row | Crude OR (95% CI) | Adjusted OR‡ (95% CI) | Denominator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men, all: | 38.1% | – | – | 1624 |
| Age: | p = 0.159 | p = 0.102 | ||
| 16–24 | 38.9% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 604 |
| 25–34 | 39.3% | 1.02 (0.68–1.53) | 0.99 (0.67–1.46) | 603 |
| 35+ | 35.0% | 0.85 (0.68–1.06) | 0.73 (0.53–1.01) | 414 |
| Ethnicity: | p = 0.007 | p = 0.002 | ||
| Other ethnicity | 36.7% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1485 |
| Black Caribbean | 52.5% | 1.91 (1.39–2.61) | 2.43 (1.87–3.16) | 139 |
| Have/had symptoms: | p = 0.001 | p = 0.037 | ||
| No | 27.2% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 853 |
| Yes | 50.1% | 2.68 (2.10–3.43) | 2.09 (1.09–4.00) | 771 |
| Had symptoms for <1 week: | p = 0.024 | p = 0.134 | ||
| No | 35.5% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1475 |
| Yes | 63.8% | 3.20 (1.34–7.63) | 1.80 (0.72–4.49) | 149 |
| Symptoms worsened since first contacted health professional: | p = 0.001 | p = 0.033 | ||
| No symptoms | 26.1% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 766 |
| Symptoms did not worsen (stayed the same or improved) | 41.0% | 1.96 (1.47–2.63) | 0.95 (0.48–1.89) | 337 |
| Symptoms worsened | 53.7% | 3.29 (2.59–4.17) | 1.68 (0.93–3.05) | 521 |
| Women, all: | 28.4% | – | – | 1560 |
| Age: | p = 0.052 | p = 0.129 | ||
| 16–24 | 32.4% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 814 |
| 25–34 | 24.7% | 0.68 (0.55–0.85) | 0.70 (0.51–0.95) | 494 |
| 35+ | 22.6% | 0.61 (0.38–0.99) | 0.60 (0.30–1.17) | 252 |
| Ethnicity: | p = 0.020 | p = 0.038 | ||
| Other ethnicity | 29.0% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1488 |
| Black African | 16.7% | 0.49 (0.30–0.81) | 0.52 (0.29–0.94) | 72 |
| Used/tried to use general practice before going to GUM clinic: | p = 0.003 | p = 0.003 | ||
| No | 25.0% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1007 |
| Yes | 34.5% | 1.58 (1.35–1.85) | 1.39 (1.24–1.55) | 553 |
| Symptoms improved since first contacted health professional: | p = 0.024 | p = 0.037 | ||
| No symptoms | 18.7% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 734 |
| Symptoms improved | 32.2% | 2.07 (0.94–4.56) | 1.74 (0.77–3.92) | 633 |
| Symptoms did not improve (stayed the same or worsened) | 52.9% | 4.88 (2.96–8.06) | 3.65 (2.20–6.07) | 193 |
| Self‐treated symptoms: | p = 0.090 | p = 0.048 | ||
| No symptoms | 20.3% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 843 |
| Symptoms but did not self‐treat | 40.1% | 2.63 (1.44–4.80) | 1.44 (0.84–2.47) | 491 |
| Symptoms and self‐treated | 33.2% | 1.95 (1.09–3.50) | 0.98 (0.53–1.84) | 226 |
*Acute STIs are defined as infectious syphilis (KC60 codes: A1, A2), uncomplicated gonorrhoea (KC60 codes: B1, B2), complicated gonorrhoea (KC60 code: B5), chancroid/lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)/donovanosis (KC60 codes: C1, C2 & C3); chlamydial infection (uncomplicated/complicated) (KC60 codes: C4a, C4b, C4c); uncomplicated non‐gonoccocal/non‐specific urethritis in males (KC60 code: C4h); complicated non‐gonoccocal/non‐specific infection (KC60 code: C5); herpes simplex (first attack) (KC60 code: C10a); genital warts (first attack) (KC60 code: C11a); trichomoniasis (KC60 code: C6a).
†618/1624 men and 443/1560 women were diagnosed with acute STIs at the study GUM clinic.
‡Parsimonious multivariate model identified through forward stepwise logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) are adjusted for all variables significant in the parsimonious multivariate model. Criteria for inclusion in the multivariate model is p<0.10, except for age and ethnicity (see Methods).