Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To compare the rates of Chlamydia trachomatis infection between those of Chinese ethnicity and non-Chinese ethnicity in a large Canadian urban setting.
METHODS: We examined rates of Chlamydia among residents of Vancouver and Richmond, Canada, by Chinese and non-Chinese ethnicity, from 2006 to 2010. We stratified cases by age group, sex and ethnicity. We analyzed 12,555 cases of Chlamydia from 2006 to 201 0.
RESULTS: The overall rate of Chlamydia was 276 per 100,000 per year. Chlamydia rates were 236 per 100,000 among those of Chinese ethnicity and 338 per 100,000 among non-Chinese. While overall rates among individuals of Chinese ethnicity were lower, rates among older Chinese women were significantly higher than among their non-Chinese counterparts.
CONCLUSIONS: Physicians serving patients of Chinese ethnicity should be aware that rates among Chinese-Canadians are substantial, with rates among older women higher than among non-Chinese women, and they should consider this when screening for sexually transmitted infections in this population. Further research is needed to elucidate why this is the case.
Keywords: Chlamydia, Chinese, immigrants, sexually transmitted infections
Résumé
OBJECTIFS: Comparer les taux d’infection à Chlamydia trachomatis des personnes d’ethnicité chinoise et non chinoise vivant dans des centres urbains du Canada.
METHODE: Nous avons examiné les taux de Chlamydia chez les résidents de Vancouver et de Richmond, au Canada, selon l’ethnicité chinoise et non chinoise, entre 2006 et 2010. Nous avons stratifié les cas par groupe d’âge, par sexe et par ethnicité. Nous avons analysé 12 555 cas de Chlamydia survenus entre 2006 et 2010.
RÉSULTATS: Le taux global de Chlamydia était de 276 p. 100 000 par année. Les taux étaient de 236 p. 100 000 chez les personnes d’ethnicité chinoise et de 338 p. 100 000 chez les non-Chinois. Malgré les taux inférieurs pour l’ensemble des sujets d’ethnicité chinoise, les taux des femmes chinoises âgées étaient significativement plus élevés que ceux des femmes non chinoises du même âge.
CONCLUSIONS: Les médecins qui ont des patients d’ethnicité chinoise devraient savoir que les taux de Chlamydia chez les Sino-Canadiens sont importants, que ces taux sont plus élevés chez les Chinoises âgées que chez les femmes non chinoises, et qu’il faut en tenir compte lors du dépistage des infections transmissibles sexuellement dans cette population. Il faudrait pousser la recherche pour élucider les raisons de ces différences.
Mots clés: Chlamydia, Chinois, immigrants, infections transmissibles sexuellement
Footnotes
Conflict of Interest: None to declare.
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